New Generation Gundam Wing- New Heroes, new suits!
by Emanya
Summary: A story based off Gundam Wing - AC 255, new pilots, new suits, new heroes and new villians... Chapter 22 and 23 up! IT'S ENDED!
1. The Introduction

The old man walked slowly up the front stoop of the apartment building, looked up through his glasses, his cobalt blue eyes formed a smile. He could hear his charge, a teenage girl, singing to some new popular song, he chuckled as he took out his keys. 

"That girl… more musical than Quatre I'd say." He muttered as he opened the door. He picked up the bag, holding a brown paper package tied with a colorful bit of string. He took the stairs slowly, humming some old song that he and his friends listened to when they were the girl's age. He took out the keys and slipped them into the lock, just as the girl opened the door. 

"Mr. Maxwell!" 

"Scarlet!" he gripped his chest in a mock-heart attack. He grinned at the child… no; she was a young woman. Her blonde hair was in two long braids down her back, reflecting her caretaker's hairstyle. Both braids ended in black bows, lace ribbon. She grinned and leaned against the doorway. 

"You need help, old man?" she teased. 

"Don't you 'old man' me remember who blacked out when doing those barrel roles in the fighter." He said as he pointed to the bag. "That's for you anyhow." He stretched Scarlet picked up the bag, and bought it in. Mr. Maxwell walked in after her, whistling. 

Scarlet, the skinny blonde of fifteen sat in and took the package into her lap. Mr. Maxwell sat down in the wooden chair across from her, and leaned forward on his walking stick, a smile on his face. She opened the first, heavier package… 

It was a helmet. Polished to sheen, the red helmet had a silver pentagram painted in the back. Scarlet ran a finger over it. 

"It's yours… Scarlet. They've called us to action." He said quietly. She looked up at him. 

"No… it can't be! I'm not ready, I still have so much more training to do!" she whispered back. She tore open the other package… a pilot's suit also red with a pentagram on the left breast… over where her heart would be. 

"I remembered the stars you wanted." He said softly. "Come on, our shuttle's waiting." He stood. Scarlet stood also, and her blue eyes looked into the glasses of the man who had raised her. She silently nodded. 

*~*

"Maxwell… he's late!" Wufei wheezed as he reached the summit base. 

"Please Master Chang, allow me to help you." The youth with him said, turning around. He already carried most of the weight of their luggage on his back, though he was many times ten the junior of his master. 

"Please master, allow me to… "

"Chen Lian!" 

"Yes master…" Lian sighed as he turned back around and started for where he knew the base entrance was. 

*~*

"Kiyoshi." Heero Yuy spoke, raising his voice slightly as he turned towards his grandson. Kiyoshi, a youth of nearly seventeen years, turned and looked as his grandfather as they waited inside the base. 

"Will they all be coming, grandfather?" Basim asked, turning to an elderly Quatre Winner. 

"They will indeed Basim. Be patient." Quatre smiled, and turned to Heero

"It has been a long time since we were all last together, Heero. I hope that we all are still alive… I have not heard from Duo yet."

*~*

Max Barton stood and stretched, as he turned to his still slim-and-trim great Uncle Trowa. Trowa turned his emerald green eyes to Max and nodded.

"We will continue." He said softly. He stood up; years of working the acrobatic routine at the circus had left him somewhat stiff. He looked at Max, who nodded and continued on. 

*~*

Wufei and Lian, Trowa and Max met at the summit. Trowa greeted Wufei with a nod; Max greeted Lian with a suspicious look. Both Chen Lian and Chang Wufei bowed a greeting to the other pilots. A door opened, and an elderly Heero Yuy, standing with the use of a cane, greeted them. 

"Good evening. Has Duo and his replacement come with you?" He asked. Wufei and Trowa shook their heads, the sunlight growing dim. 

"No, we have not seen Maxwell…

"HEY YOU GUYS!" punctuated with a cough and a cry of "Mr. Maxwell!" resounded through the woods as Duo and the replacement grew near. 

Heero looked at his old companion; he had aged as well… perhaps better than the others had. His eyesight was going; he wore square glasses and had a kind, grandfatherly look to him. Behind him, with a pack slung over his back was a youth wearing a loose T-shirt and jeans. Duo grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked over. 

"Hey Guys! How's it going?" 

Quatre, Basim, and Kiyoshi came out of the base, and for the first time, the five Gundam pilots and their replacements were together. 

Kiyoshi stood next to his grandfather, perhaps the spitting image of him, wild hair and Prussian blue eyes. 

Max was slim and trim, with the emerald eyes of his great Uncle and the auburn hair of his grandmother Catherine. 

Basim, a little on the scrawny side, but well built for his size and weight stood near Quatre, as he looked shyly at the other pilots. 

Lian stood a little closer to his Master than he would have thought was comfortable, looking around at the others around… then she stepped into the light. 

Scarlet had her hair in two braids still; each tied with a black bow. Her sky blue eyes blinked shyly as they all turned to stare at her, and she shifted to behind Mr. Maxwell. 

"Nice of you to bring your granddaughter Duo… where is your replacement?" Wufei asked. Duo looked confused. 

"Granddaughter? I was never married! You expect me to just breed grandchildren?" He laughed. "Scarlet here IS my replacement!" 

Lian raised his eyebrows at this remark, he had always learned that Women were weak, un-reliable. How could one of the five greatest fighters in history allow a GIRL to join? 

"Pardon my saying so, Mr. Maxwell… but… a woman? Women are weak and piteous creatures. Send her back." 

Wufei leaned on his staff; a lesson in civility wouldn't hurt Chen Lian. 

Scarlet scowled as she stepped over to Lian. 

"What… was… that?" 

"Women are we…" and Lian never got father than that. 

He was too busy howling with pain when her fist made contact with his nose. Wufei raised his eyebrows. 

"That was un-expected." 

The other replacement pilots agreed, and Scarlet put her fists up

"Anyone wanna re-enforce that statement?" she said. She turned as Duo lay a hand on her shoulder. 

"Let's not tempt people on our side who have guns, eh Scarlet?"


	2. The Flames of War

After the brief fight and introductions all around, the four new boys had shunned Scarlet, who simply shrugged it off and listened to the trainers while the young men all sat around gibing her, different gender slurs found ways out of their mouths, just loud enough for her to hear. She ignored them and listened to what really mattered: would the elder Gundams keep her around?

"I think I have to agree with the other pilots, Duo…" Quatre sighed. "She can't pilot a Gundam under our command." 

"She can! I've taught her all I know…"

"Which isn't much." Wufei muttered. 

"AND she's adept in practically everything!" he defended. Heero leaned back in his chair, and sighed.

"We need all the help we can get. Until we find a replacement… Scarlet will be able to remain in the group." He said. 

Scarlet sighed, and the young men looked at her with distaste. A woman… such a thing was un-heard of. 

Heero Yuy stood up with the aid of his cane, and looked to the young pilots. His own grandson Kiyo stood a little apart from the others. His looks barely seemed to have any Peacecraft or any of his mother in him, just Heero. 

He turned to Max Leo Barton… a boy who took his uncle's assumed last name after his grandmother, mother, and cousin were killed in an explosion while he and Trowa were training. Heero had heard of it from his friend, Trowa. 

Basim, the blonde youth of Quatre's choice to train looked much like his grandfather, except for darker hair and lighter eyes… and a earth-tone taste in clothes. His hair was also slightly shorter than Quatre's at his age. 

Chen Lian was an interesting boy… trained by Wufei… not a relative by blood but a great nephew to his late wife. Wufei had taken him in, and trained him since he was a small boy. 

And then there was Scarlet Erin. With hair the color of wheat and a face that could break a heart, she seemed the last person in the colonies to pilot a Gundam. She was skinny, slender; but there was something in her eyes, something that during the dawn of the War, all the pilots had… a dream of peace and justice. Her face was brutally calm, and she did not fear to show her emotions. Her expressions were radically honest, and Heero was perplexed. How had this girl trained? 

Heero looked around at the five new, young pilots. They were innocent, but even with blood staining their hands they would be pure. They would experience torments that no other solider would, or could, ever face. 

"Come. It is time to see your Gundams." He said, and the five old men led the way. 

*~*

Heero led the group of ten down a long, stretching hallway, down a staircase, and into a lobby. Portraits of the five scientists, Doctor J, Professor G, Doktor S, Instructor H, and Master O hung in the lobby. Heero turned to the newest round of pilots, and studied the group. 

"You five are the next generation of warriors who must not be afraid to die. You are Gundam Pilots. Sought by all, trusted by few, you will usher the Colonies past War." He opened the doors, and five Gundams… created from the plans of the others, stood in the hangar beyond. 

Raidon, Kiyoshi's Gundam gleamed gold in the bright hangar lights. Built from the Wing Zero from the war against the Serpents, the Gundam was to be an arial unit. It had the buster rifle, the beam saber, and the shoulder block machine guns, all in gold colored reinforced gundanium. On the chest was a silver lightning bolt, representing the name of this new Gundam. Kiyoshi looked at his Gundam, nearly amazed at its potential with him as a pilot. 

Bran, named at the request of Maxwell, was a black Gundam with not bat wings like Deathscythe Hell Custom, but had angel wings like Raidon. A silver pentagram, with the point facing up representing good shone on the chest. Inside the pentagram, there was a red raven. Scarlet smiled; Mr. Maxwell would do something like that. It was equipped with hyper jammers, and as a favor to Mr. Maxwell, a double-bladed beam scythe. For some reason also, it had been equipped with a long-distance attack: not a buster shield but a beam bow. 

The third new Gundam was Blaze. A burning red flame on the dark gray body of the new Heavy Arms-type Gundam with the gattling machinegun for a left arm. Built almost exactly like Heavy Arms custom, Max's Gundam was powerfully built, and powerfully armed.

Faris, Arabian for Knight, was the fourth Gundam, in the place of Sandrock. He was built for close combat, with advanced sensors that were specialized to pick up hyper jammer signals from Bran. Basim would pilot this Gundam, which sported heat shorters and chest machine guns. 

The last was Shen-Li, another Gundam with Dragon claws, but unlike "Nakatu" the Shen and Alto-Long, the dragon claws were detachable for easier use of the beam staff. This Gundam would be the weapon of Chen Lian. 

The five replacement Gundam pilots looked upon their new mobile suits, and felt tiny. 

Scarlet turned to the mentors, and asked a question that all five of them had on their minds. 

"When do we begin?" 

"Now." Heero answered. He quickly regretted it when his own grandson started griping, Scarlet, who like Duo (and with Duo) had grown up almost devoid of anything to whine over, was busy asking her trainer how you accessed the lead rope that would take you up to the hatch. Mr. Maxwell walked over to Bran with Scarlet, while the other four simply gaped in surprise. 

Chen Lian scowled at this woman. Wufei, who had learned long ago not to assume that all women were weak, regretted passing on the assumption to Lian. He could see it in Maxwell's replacement's eyes that she was more that simply a pilot; she had the spirit that was vital to piloting a Gundam. 

Kiyo also noticed this woman was much different than the others… like his Grandmother and Mother… were. From her wheat hair to her dazzling eyes, she was something else entirely. He had felt sorry for making fun of her… and had a feeling that most of the other boys did too. After all… she was quite attractive. 

Duo laughed slightly at one of Scarlet's questions. 

"How long has it been since you've flown?" 

"A long… long time." He chuckled. "Not since I was your age." He said, almost sadly. He looked up at Bran. "Yeah… I was the pilot of Deathscythe… great Gundam… I was the God of Death…" he grinned, "I guess now you're the Goddess of Death…" 

Scarlet chuckled. 

"I don't think I could ever fight as well as you Mr. Maxwell." 

*~*

Soon, all the pilots had figured out how to get in, turn on, and pilot their Gundams. Being fast learners and trained in old mobile suits, they caught on quickly. Soon they were holding mock battles using virtual reality. The four boys had grown very close, but Scarlet had been forgotten. 

Things had been like that for nearly ten weeks. 

Scarlet lay in her room, alone, and wrote in a notebook she had gotten as a gift from Mr. Maxwell. In her careful script, she wrote about training, different discussions she had with Mr. Maxwell that day, and also how lonely she felt. She rose, and walked out to the hangar. 

By now, she was familiar with the codes that they used all around the base, and got around easy. She opened the doors to the massive hangar, and walked over to Bran. She sat on the foot, leaning back and closing her eyes. 

"Mr. Maxwell said he used to talk to Deathscythe… I wonder if Deathscythe ever answered him like you do me, Bran." She said quietly. She nodded, she didn't know whether the Gundam actually spoke or if it was something invented by her mind to solve her loneliness, but Bran replied that Deathscythe must have if he could. Scarlet drew her blanket around her and fell asleep on Bran's foot. 

And that is just how they all found her the next morning. 

*~*

Not a single one of the Gundams or New Gundam pilots knew that this day would be their last of training. 

They were all in spacesuits, their helmets on.

"This is New Gundam 01 ready for training exorcises." Kiyo said, switching on the boosters, warming them up. 

"This is New Gundam 02, ready for action!" Scarlet announced as she typed in a command.

"This is New Gundam 03, at your mark." Max said, putting his hands on the joystick controls.

"New Gundam 04, ready for flight." Basim stated, a little nervous. 

"All systems go on New Gundam 05." Lian stated, ready for battle. 

Duo looked at the monitor, showing the five faces of the new Gundam pilots. They were all sure of themselves just as he was at their age … hopefully none were as fool hardy. 

"This is Central Command, at my mark you will all take off. Ten… nine…" 

Kiyo listened to his grandfather's voice… and Raidon told him something was wrong…

"Eight… seven…" 

Scarlet tightened her grip on the joysticks; her double braids pinned back with lock picks (after all… Duo DID teach her all he knows!), whispering that something wasn't right. 

"Six… five…" 

Max looked at the monitors; nothing was showing… why was he nervous?

"Four three…" 

Basim longed to be out of the Gundam, like his own grandfather he had a kind heart, but he also wanted to please his grandfather. 

"Two… one…" 

Chen Lian closed his eyes, ready for the pressure of the launch. He opened his eyes as the last word came…"

"Go!" 

All five pilots took off into the sky, just as the horizon was beginning to darken. 

"Yuy, they are troops coming over the horizon, I do not know if they are friendly or not." 

'I don't think they're friendly Wufei… uh… they're starting to fire on the mountain. 

"THEY FOUND US! Call the kids back in!" Quatre shouted, worry in his voice for his grandson. 

"There's no time, it's futile to call them in." Trowa said quietly. He turned to the other pilots. "There's only one thing to do." 

They all nodded. Heero walked over to the control panel, and lifted the cap off a button. 

"Thanks to Lyla, we HAVE the EROS system!" Duo tried to laugh, remembering the woman Gundam pilot. Heero looked at him. 

"This is Bran to Base… what's going on?" Scarlet's voice came over the comm. 

Heero turned the comm to all the pilots. 

"Pilots, we're sending you into space. There's nothing you can do here." He said.

"Heero, the kids are turning around! They're coming back!" 

"We're trained! Let us fight!" Lian shouted, he readied the Dragon claws. 

The others had followed suit. 

"No! Turn back! Scarlet that's an order!" Duo shouted, his eyes wide as he grabbed the comm away from Heero, the others began to plead with their replacement pilots, and the New Gundam pilots didn't listen. They kept coming. 

Heero didn't want to do this, but he had to. These new pilots, however foolish they were, would be the only people to stand up against this new army of evils. He activated the EROS… Emergency Relocation Operational System, and watched on the monitor as all five Gundams turned, and started flying into space. 

"Mr. Maxwell! You can't do this! You'll die!" Scarlet pleaded. None of the boys said a word, in utter astonishment. 

"Scarlet, someday you'll understand. You are too precious to loose in this fight, and there are still so many things you five need to learn, like teamwork. We all learned the hard way that we must fight as one to win a war."

Scarlet listened to Mr. Maxwell's voice as her Gundam flew into the darkening sky. She felt tears threatening her eyes. 

"Scarlet, you have what it takes to be a Gundam Pilot. Don't let anyone take anything from you, especially your flame. You're the closest thing I ever had to a child, with your fiery heart you could easily be the best pilot… beyond even the God of Death. Go, Scarlet… remember the most important thing I taught you, Scarlet." Duo said. For only the fifth time in his life, he found tears in his eyes.

"No regrets… no fear." Scarlet whispered. She bowed her head; the tears from her eyes floated down her cheeks as the gravity began to lessen. 

"You're gonna be OK Scarlet… just remember what I taught you and…"

The sound of an explosion came to Scarlet's ears. She threw her head up and watched as the explosion demolished some of the advancing suits, but also killed the five trainers. 

"Mr. Maxwell?" she whispered, almost urging him to continue… "MR. MAXWELL!" She cried out, repeating the name of the only person she ever knew to care about her. She tried with all her might to turn her Gundam around, but the system wouldn't stop. She cried out again, frantically repeating

"MR. MAXWELL! MR MAXWELL PLEASE GO ON!" she squeezed tears from her eyes, and repeated "No regrets… no fear…" 


	3. Tears Shed for the trainers

The pilots floated in space, no one was speaking to anyone. They were all left with their own thoughts, as if they had never met each other. 

Kiyo stared, un-blinking in the fact that his grandfather was dead. Grandfather Heero was a stern man, true, but he was kind to those he loved. He had always been a fair, if not strict, trainer and man. He watched with a horrid fascination as the monitors registered farther and farther from Earth.

Scarlet was perhaps hit the worst. Mr. Maxwell had raised her from a little baby, when she was abandoned on his doorstep in a blanket; the black ribbons that tied a message to the blanket now held her braids together. She had never called him "grandfather"; she had only known him as Mr. Maxwell. She put a gloved hand against the monitor, as if hoping that somehow things would reverse. 

Max Barton was a boy of little words. He had almost the same looks as his Uncle Trowa, except he didn't have his hairstyle. His emerald green eyes misted over with tears, and he turned his head away, he couldn't bear to look at the Earth. 

Basim was in shock. His grandfather was dead? How? Why? HE couldn't stand the thought of his granddad dead… his eyes were open wide, tears threatening. 

Chen Lian sat in the cockpit of Shen-Li, silent. Master Chang was gone… how would he train? Who would he turn to for advice? He closed his eyes, knowing that now everything would fall apart. 

Then something came over the comm. 

"Hey, guys…" Scarlet's voice rang over the comm, thick with tears. "Bran's got something on the sensors… I've hailed it for nothing, but the bays opened, and a typed message has appeared on screen. It says to enter, this craft is friendly." 

"Should we?" Lian asked Kiyo. Kiyo's voice came over clear. 

"Let's. If not, we die like our trainers." 

"Aren't you bright and cheery? No wonder Mr. Maxwell always called you grandfather a bore." Scarlet chirruped obviously that only made her sadder. "I'm sorry Kiyoshi. That wasn't nice of me." 

The five New Gundams entered the egg-shaped craft, and gasped at what they saw. 

It was a full maintenance deck, with six places for six mobile suits. The five pilots opened their hatches as the bay door closed, and exited their Gundams. A door opened to the side. 

"Let's go and see where it leads." Scarlet yelled from her hatch. Taking off her helmet, she shook out her two long braids. Lian couldn't help but notice, and raised his eyebrows. He turned to the door. Kiyo also turned, trying to ignore the blonde woman pilot. Basim and Max started down their suits. 

Scarlet grabbed the lead rope and dangled down until she was three feet off, then fell the last few feet. She looked up as the others started for the door. 

She went first, drawing a gun. 

"Where'd you get that?" Basim asked. Scarlet turned to them

"Don't tell me none of you have guns? And they say that Girls are dumber than boys… give me a break." She rolled her eyes. 

Lian growled a slur, but she ignored it. 

They walked to the control deck, where a red button flashed at the console. 

Scarlet started walking towards it. 

"Pilot!" Kiyo barked. Scarlet turned towards him. 

"You're not my mother, Yuy. And my name's Scarlet." She shrugged, and pressed the button. 

They all readied for an explosion… but none came. 

"To the New Gundam Generation pilots, and if you too have come my fellow pilots…" a voice started. 

They all looked up, to see a woman with gray hair, and vibrant eyes. She had a face that had seen sorrow more than once. 

"I am Lyla Moore, the pilot of the Gundam Atermis. As the sixth and final member and field medic of the original Gundam force, and the sole survivor of the Scorpio Colony, I welcome you to Pod-Hopper II." 

"There is no colony Scorpio." Lian muttered. 

"Unfortunately, when I had been contacted about the training of new members, I was both too old and with the lack of people on the Scorpio colony un-able to train a replacement. So as my contribution I give Pod-Hopper II to you new pilots, to use as an operational base and home. It is equipped with guns, living quarters, and a medical bay. I have my field notes in the computer. 

"I am hoping that your trainers came with you, so in case they did… Duo… I'm sorry. As I save this into PH2's memory… I'm dying. I… never got to say everything I wanted to Duo… and I'm hoping that you can somehow forgive me."

The woman's voice began to waiver, and the picture showed she was crying. 

"I hope to god that you found another Duo… because I know what I did was wrong, I never should have left you… I miss you Duo. I miss you too much for words to say." 

The message stopped there… 

"There… there was a sixth… that's why there were six places…" Lian said, his eyes surprised. 

Scarlet was shocked… there had been an old photo of two people, a young man with a braid and a woman with short blonde hair in Mr. Maxwell's room back on L2… was this the woman?

She turned away, in shock, she fell to her knees, and she couldn't breath! 

She choked out a "HELP!" as she tried to cough up what ever was in her throat. 

*~*

Warm light… no it was still blackness… but a comforting blackness… 

"Am I dead?" she thought as she looked around into the dark… then a soft red light penetrated the black. 

"She's breathing on her own, Kiyo." She heard Basim say

"Wonderful. She really IS…"

"Finish that sentence, Chen Lian… and you'll get more than a bloody nose!" she coughed as she tried to stand 

"Lay down." Kiyo said, pushing her back into a laying position gently. 

"How come?" Scarlet sets between coughs. "I'm all right." 

"You can tell me that after we fix you up. The diagnostic program the woman left is trying to find out what is wrong." He replied, and switched something on. The gurney that Scarlet was on moved backwards and she lay stark still.

"Nothing is wrong physically, the computer says you had a panic attack."

"I WHAT? I can't! I'm a Gundam pilot! I CAN'T have panic attacks!" she insisted. She tried to sit up again, banging her head against the ceiling of the chamber. 

"Just stay still, Scarlet." Kiyo said, he peered at her through the window, and gazed at her. She had a strong spirit, and probably the death of her trainer would take a heavy toll on her. He knew that it was wrong that she was weak… many girls he had gone to school with would have broken down and started bawling. He hated girls like that… but he did not hate this one. She was strong-willed, and wouldn't give up… she could be either a worst enemy or a favored ally. 

Basim sighed as he stood off to the side. Max stood near; his hair combed back to reveal the emerald eyes that also belonged to his great uncle Trowa. 

"So, there was another Gundam pilot…" Basim said softly. Max nodded. 

"Uncle Trowa, he mentioned her once or twice." He said softly. He blinked his eyes as he looked at Basim. 

"My grandfather never mentioned her…"

Lian came over to the group. 

"Neither did Master Chang." 

Soon, Kiyo and Scarlet, who was holding a glass of water and two pills, walked over, arguing. 

"I am NOT going to take pills! I'm FINE!" Scarlet complained, Kiyo, who was very much like his grandfather in looks, but not attitude, snickered. 

"You were just complaining about a headache. Maybe you shouldn't sit up in the medical scanner any more?" Lian even grinned at this. Scarlet scowled, shoved both pills into her mouth and drank down half the water. 

"You boys are SO immature. I don't know how they ever expected us to work together." 

"I don't know how Master Chang expected me to work with a woman." 

"You scared of the female gender or something, Lian?" she smirked. Lian scowled. 

"Chen Lian fears no woman." He said smugly. Scarlet rolled her eyes. 

"Yeah… sure."

*~*

By the evening, the pilots had found living quarters… and explored the living area of Pod-Hopper Two. 

There was a library, many of the books older than they were. It was packed, old classics, new classics, of every description and size. Scarlet had nearly wept with joy… the one difference between herself and her mentor; she had a distinct love of books. 

That's where Kiyoshi found the American pilot. He stepped into the room, looking around. She sat in one of the huge overstuffed chairs, a royal navy blue velvet seat, so big it made her seem no more than a young child. She was curled up, a mug of cocoa on the table in front of her, a book in her lap. He couldn't help but grin, she looked like she belonged in some other life… not the life of a warrior. His grin vanished like a shadow as she looked up. She took off her glasses.

"Can I help you, Kiyoshi?" she inquired as she reached for her cocoa. 

"Yeah. You're prone to black outs aren't you?" He asked her. She shifted un-comfortably.

"Don't deny it. I heard my grandfather and your mentor discussing it. As it seems that was two strikes against you… the second should have gotten you removed from the team. How come you told no one?" 

"I can handle it Kiyoshi. And if that's it, then leave." She put her glasses back on. 

He pulled the book out of her hand. 

"HEY!" 

"Scarlet, how long have you known about it?" Kiyo asked her. Scarlet sighed as she took off her glasses. 

"It started when I was a child. When I was five years old, I had gone to save a dog from being shot on the range Mr. Maxwell was practicing at… and I was accidentally shot… though the head. I should have been dead…

"Mr. Maxwell brought me to the hospital, he said he couldn't stop crying and he felt like a mother fretting over a sick baby… well… he kinda was." She half chuckled at that. "Years later, I was practicing barrel rolls with him in a fighter… I blacked out and almost crashed into a resource satellite. We went to the doctor… and the diagnosis was that because of the damage to a part of the brain, if too much pressure was added or reduced too soon, it sometimes results in a panic attack, and I'll faint. I guess with all the added weight of the stress of Mr. Maxwell's death… it just came on a little too quick for me to catch." 

"And that's what happened." Kiyoshi said. He turned to Scarlet "How do you know when one comes on?" 

"Well… it usually starts with shortness of breath… and an extreme nervousness. Then I can't breathe, and that usually lasts for a few seconds before I black out." 

"What do you do to stop it?" he took a step closer to her. 

"Well… I just ease up on the throttle if I'm fighting, and if it's emotional pressure I do have a medication…" she said silently. She looked up. "Kiyoshi… do me a favor… if the other pilots knew, they could kick me off. I don't want to leave… all I have left is the battle. You all have family… Mr. Maxwell was all I ever had." She turned away. "If I leave now… I… I know I'll just die of loneliness!" 

Kiyoshi stood and walked to the door. He paused, his face half in light and half in dark. He closed his eyes. 

"I won't tell them… Scarlet." 


	4. Introduction to Evil/More Secrets from S...

"I can't believe Grandfather is making us do this…" a young man with long blue hair muttered. He ran a hand over the mobile suit… Tallgeese Four… code-named Destroyer. 

"You? My grandmother is going nuts because we're doing this!" a blonde boy replied. Nick Catalonia, the grandson of Dorothy, whose son had taken her last name and not her husbands, grinned as his best friend in the world, Milliardo Peacecraft the Third… but everyone called him Zechs. 

"Well… your grandmother's crazy!" Zechs replied into the communicator. 

"Who do you think we're gonna be fighting?" Nick muttered as he started up the system on his mobile suit… named Zephyr. Zechs grinned slightly

"I heard some group that my grandfather fought when he was our age." He laughed "A whole bunch of old guys! It's going to be easy." Nick looked at his friend. 

"You think so? Come on. My grandfather left with my cousin earlier. You know, Basim?" 

"Oh yeah, the skinny kid." Zechs shrugged. 

"They went off somewhere, and Grandmother is getting worried about Grandfather." 

"Ah your grandmother stabbed him before. Some true love huh?" 

"Who told you that?" Nick looked up at the suit his friend would be piloting, named Storm. Zechs sighed. 

"My grandfather did. Your grandmother worked under him." 

"Oh yeah… sixty years ago… the good old days." Nick laughed, and Zechs smiled.

Then, their trainer entered. 

He was a thin, old man… older than their grandparents were. He was strict in his undertakings, and punished his students horribly if they messed up. Both grandmothers Dorothy and Lucretzia had objected to their grandsons' military training, they did not wish to have their grandchildren turn into "bulldogs" as Dorothy had put it. Dorothy's husband, Quatre, frankly agreed, saying that war would no longer be a solution. 

However, this man did not agree. The only name he had was Scorpion. 

Nick and Zechs stood up and saluted their trainer. He studied them both.

"What were you two talking of before I entered?"

"The best way to destroy the enemy… sir!" both said. Zechs felt a sweat drop form on his forehead… not too pleasant. He didn't like the trainer… but his grandfather and both young men's fathers wanted them trained in military fashion, and he was supposed to be the best. 

Scorpion nodded, then walked out of the room. 

Nick scowled, and muttered "Stick-Man" he muttered. Zechs silently agreed, then they returned to business.

*~*~*

Dorothy Winner silently looked out a window to the silent city on the L4 colony where she and her husband, Quatre Winner, made their home. The city was busy with the Nightlife… yet she hadn't heard from either her young grandson Basim or her husband. She knew where he had taken the young boy, of course. Quatre absolutely had to have a replacement… she didn't want him flying around in any more mobile suits, she didn't understand why he had chosen Basim instead of the hardier cousin, Nick, she knew inside. 

"He was too hard… too much like stone." She whispered to herself. Her long gray hair was worn down over her pink nightgown as she stood by the window. She closed her eyes as a knock sounded at the door. 

"Enter." She spoke. Her maid, a young woman by the name of Lilly walked in shyly. 

"Madam Relena Yuy has just arrived, ma'am." She said. Dorothy turned.

"Show her in immediately." She commanded. Lilly balked a moment. 

"In your nightgown?" 

"What does it matter to you, Lilly. Do as you are told!" 

Lilly looked a little reproachful, but knew better than to rouse her boss's anger further. 

"Yes, ma'am." 

Relena Yuy, formerly Relena Peacecraft was led into the room a moment later. Her dark gray hair was held back in an orderly bun, her glasses resided on the bridge of her nose. She carried her briefcase, and in spite of the calm look on her face now, Dorothy could see the red welts beneath her eyes, where endless wiping had cleared tears. 

"They didn't… oh Relena…" she said. They both sat down. Relena solemnly nodded. 

"All ten were killed. None of the pilots nor their replacements could be found." Relena said silently. "No one knows except me and you." 

Dorothy broke down into tears, that's why she had not heard from her husband… and now she had lost a grandchild as well… not one but another.

*~*~*

Scarlet finally arose from doze she had been in since late afternoon… at least on Scorpio time, she supposed. She scratched her head in a sleepy fashion and walked off in the direction of the kitchen area. What she found surprised her. 

Chen Lian stood there, several pots in front of him. He hummed to himself as he stirred… Scarlet raised an eyebrow… she never in the world would have expected Lian of all people to cook. 

Lian turned suddenly, and could have dropped the ladle of stew he had. For the first time in his life, he blushed. 

Scarlet stood there leaning against the doorjamb, her bangs, which were somehow showing a more coppery blonde tone, in her eyes. She smiled. 

"You know, I deeply respect a man that can cook." She said simply. Lian smiled slightly. He somehow knew he could feel more at ease with this woman than with any of the other crew… who else could cook?

"It's something I grew up with." He responded simply. 

"Oh, me too. Mr. Maxwell couldn't cook worth beans. I grew up on junk food until I learned how to cook." 

"The same here. Master Chang wouldn't cook… and needless to say none of my sisters or cousins would cook for him. So I had to." He turned, leaning over a pot He lifted the cover, and Scarlet peered over his shoulder. Lian glanced at her sideways. 

"Must you do that?" he asked. 

"Yup. I was a curious kid, I'm not gonna stop just because I grew up a bit." She protested. Lian let a smile come through… a small one albeit, but a smile. 

"You amuse me, Scarlet." He said simply, then returned to his cooking. Scarlet let her smile fade. 

"I amuse them… figures." She thought, then walked out of the kitchen.

In the seclusion of her quarters... the "Women's Barracks", Scarlet lay down on her bed. She brushed her coppery toned blonde hair, and smirked slightly. She looked in the mirror, then whispered "I'm gonna change myself. I'm gonna be as tough as any one of those boys."

She put her pills in the basket by the bathroom door, and breezed through. She felt she'd better clean up for supper… about three hours. 

*~*

"She's late." Kiyo muttered as Chen Lian started to serve supper. He wondered… maybe she had another panic attack and was knocked out and couldn't breathe. Maybe she accidentally blew herself up… maybe she fell asleep. All ideals were very possible.

Then the door opened, and walking out in a nice black blouse and blue jeans was a woman who's hair hung behind her in a single copper braid. Everything about her was… perfect.

"Scarlet?" Basim asked, his eyes wide. Kiyoshi stood emotionless… and speechless. The woman shrugged. 

"You think they called me Scarlet for nothing? The blonde hair was a cover-up thing Mr. Maxwell and I did." She sat herself at the table. The boys shrugged it off… so Scarlet had red hair. 


	5. Lian's Shampoo - Stolen!/ Duo's Long Los...

In the dark of his own room, at last Max Barton was alone. He sighed as his head hit his pillow. 

His first thoughts were of his mother, Elizabeth Bloom and his grandmother who for the most part raised him, Catherine Bloom. His mustard-brown hair settled on his forehead as he forced himself to sleep. 

In the rooms to the right of him, Basim carefully lay his clothes for the next day out. A nice pair of khaki pants, a light blue shirt, and a nice dark blue vest, a gift from his grandpa. He smiled slightly as he slipped under the covers, and looked around on the new base. 

Kiyoshi Yuy sat on the bed, the only light the one in his private bath behind the door. He thought, as he has thought always. He had been the quiet one in his family, his grandmother Relena had often commented on that to Heero… Heero would only look at Relena blankly then would return to whatever he was doing before. He sighed as he leaned back. To him, his past was a mystery in itself. His parents had died in a car crash early on in his life, leaving him with only his grandparents to look after him. He, of course, had family elsewhere. The Peacecraft family, Lucretzia and Milliardo, Milliardo Jr. who had divorced, and Milliardo the Third, who everyone called Zechs. He lay down and went to sleep.

Scarlet sighed as she disrobed, un-did her braid and lay down. She felt older than she was, her eyes were tired, and everything was tired, right down to her toes. She closed her eyes, but could not sleep. It was too quiet in the room. She was used to the noise of the city, the loudness of the cars which whizzed by. She closed her eyes and entered a restless sleep… and dreamt of better days. 

*~*

Darkness… a void of black deeper than night… deeper than even the soul of the God of death.

The rubble from the explosion of the base lay still in the sunset. The mess of stones, suit and mechanical equipment lay as if a great battle had been fought. 

A hand broke through the rubble, in a panicked frenzy to reach for the sky. A dusty, bloodstained hand grabbed hold, and lifted the battered person out of the dust. 

They were going to have to try harder to kill them than that. 

*~*

Scarlet awoke to the sounds of someone calling her… except she was no longer in the quarters on the Pod-Hopper Two. She awoke back in the narrow mattress on the floor that served as her bed on the L2 colony. She shivered, the winter of the colony a little colder thanks to the random weather devices. She stood up and called out for Mr. Maxwell to start getting up too, since she had to make breakfast. 

She walks into the kitchen, and realizes that Mr. Maxwell wasn't home… or that he would ever be home. She shivered and pulled on one of the black shirts she had constantly had to mend for her trainer. She looked in the mirror, the countless un-seen seems of black thread were like the scars on her heart she tried to hide. She knew where every single one of them was. She ran a finger over one right over the heart… and felt a tear come to her eye. 

"Some tears can not be mended… just like some hearts." She whispered. She closed her eyes and envisioned her trainer… more than her trainer, her friend. She closed her eyes and turned, walking back to her room. 

*~*

Kiyoshi Yuy stood at the door to Scarlet's room. The crimson-haired pilot's braid was un-done; the hair that Kiyo subconsciously wanted to touch and stroke so badly lay in tangles around the tossing and turning pilot. The pained look on the woman's face disturbed Kiyoshi… he had never felt this way before about anyone. He wanted to comfort her… but she was a pilot… no different from him.

"Kiyoshi." A voice came from behind him. Kiyo turned and laid eyes upon Chen Lian. 

"Let her be tonight, Kiyo. We've all had a rough day." He said, then walked down the hallway into his room. Kiyoshi nodded to himself, and walked into his own room, letting the redhead sleep. 

*~*

"WOMAN! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO EMBARRASSED IN MY LIFE! YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BATHROOM STAY OUT OF MINE!"

Scarlet ran, skidded on the carpet and put a hand to the ground as she took a sharp turn, then bolted into her room, shouting 

"If you don't want me in there Lian, don't lock the door!" she laughed and held up her prize… Lian's personal herbal shampoo. 

Kiyoshi looked up, hearing pounds on the door to the room next to his, Scarlet's. He stood and walked to his entrance, and poked his head into the hallway… and lifted his eyebrows in surprise. 

Chen Lian stood banging on Scarlet's door, with only a towel around his waist. 

"SCARLET ERIN! YOU HAD BETTER GIVE ME BACK MY… oh… hi Kiyoshi…" he said, turning to the surprised Japanese pilot.

"Don't tell me this fuss is over shampoo, Lian." 

"She… but… Scarlet… herbal… UGH!" he threw up his hands… a big mistake…

Kiyo turned away immediately. 

"GAH! I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS WOMAN!" Lian shouted, and ran into his room. Kiyoshi growled… he would not allow this type of… stupidity… aboard a ship. He was the designated leader of this team, and he WOULD keep order!

He pressed the comm button and heard the buzzer sound inside. 

"Hello Kiyoshi. If Lian wants his shampoo back, tell him not to take my cookbooks." 

"Cookbooks?" Basim said as he poked his head out. "Is that what they were fighting over?" 

Max walked down the hallway, his eyebrows raised and shrugged at Basim.

"I'm not sure." He replied. Both boys walked to where Kiyoshi was trying to negotiate the terms of release of the hostage shampoo. 

"If you don't give the shampoo back right now… why… I'll… blow up the door!" 

"Then I'm taking over your room. Tell Nose-Boy he can have his shampoo back when I get my Cantonese cooking back. I pleaded SIX WEEKS for that thing!" she said defiantly. 

"Scarlet… I am NOT going to argue with you any more. Give me the shampoo. NOW!" 

"I do what I want, when I want to… and… that includes you Kiyoshi Yuy!" 

*~*

Inside her room, she could HEAR Basim's eyes open as wide as they possibly could… she heard him exclaim something about in-appropriate behavior. She could sense Max's embarrassment… but couldn't see anything coming from Kiyoshi. She had been bold in that move, true… but… what good would it do her in the end? 

She sighed to herself 

"Stupid… Scarlet… VERY stupid." She muttered to herself as she leaned against the door. 

She opened the door, stopping it about five inches across, and pushed the shampoo out. Someone grabbed her hand, and shoved the door the rest of the way open. Kiyoshi pulled the near panicked girl out of the room, his hand tight on her wrist. His cold Persian blue eyes met with her forest green; Max and Basim backed away from the two. Lian came out, still pissed but at least dressed. 

"I'm going to tell you once… and ONLY once Scarlet… I'm not going to put up with childish crap like that. None of us are. This is a war, next time you pull some shit like that on this ship I'm going to shoot you. That's not a threat, that's a promise." 

Scarlet's face went pale, so pale that her eyes seemed to be red in comparison. 

Kiyoshi's hand pulled her up slightly higher, his strength lifting the young lady off the ground so they saw eye to eye. 

"Is that clear?" he said. His hand squeezed her arm tighter.

Scarlet gave a squeak of pain, and Kiyoshi threw her to the ground in disgust. 

"You'll never be a pilot. Not until you can prove to everyone here that you can do it. Now get out of my sight." 

Scarlet's eyes starred over with tears as she held her wrist, nearly broken in her good hand, looking at Kiyoshi with such emotion… not quite fear, more like surprise. 

Kiyoshi turned to the rest. 

"Well? Do you have anything to add." He said, making it more of a statement than a question, and walked away from the grouping. 

Basim knelt by Scarlet. 

"Here, let me help you." He said with a slight smile. 

Scarlet pulled away from him, and stood on her own. 

"I don't need anyone's help. I don't care what Kiyoshi says, I'm a Gundam Pilot, whether he or you want to believe it or not." She commented quietly, then retreated to the solace of her room. Lian, Max, and Basim heard the door click as it locked. 

"That was un-called for." Basim said quietly. Max and Lian shrugged then went about their business. Basim went back to his room. 

*~*

Her blue eyes opened, trying to re-adjust to the darkness she had lived the last two years in. She straitened, and the once springy back able to copy Trowa's circus tricks groaned in protest. She swept her hair, half in and half out of a braid, to the side as she reached over and grabbed her glasses. 

"Glad to see you awakened, Scorpion." Someone said. The woman gave a snort. 

"No thanks to you." She muttered. 

"The pilots. Where are they?" 

"As far as I know… retirement." She said and leaned against the wall, sitting on the hard bed. 

"You know I'm talking about the young ones." The skeleton-like man entered the room and turned on a bright overhead yet. 

The woman balked a moment, then settled into her usual calm. Though her age was beginning to get to her, her eyes with still vibrant blue. She stayed silent. 

"It is by my will alone you are alive, woman! TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE!" he growled. 

"Not by the non-existent hair on your chinny-chin-chin bucko." She said. 

The man, also known as Scorpion, laughed slightly. 

"Oh… my dear. You are quite tiring. The young pilots… I need their identification codes… and you would know them… since you helped design the original Scorpion Gundams." 

"My father designed Eros and Diabolic, Mathew. I combined them to form my own. I do not know the identification codes for the new ones. Go away." She said plainly. The man slapped her across the face. 

"You bitch! Right now, Milliardo Peacecraft the Third and Nicholas Catalonia are out hunting them! They could die!" 

She turned to him, Her blue eyes full of silent anger. 

"Yuy and Winner will not kill their cousins. And if anything, with a Barton, a Maxwell and a Chang aboard, your boys should know what they're doing. After all, you taught them how to loose so gracefully to kidnap an woman, defenseless in her old age and take her to some dank prison where she's decaying worse than the rat shit she found in her morning coffee?" 

The man glowered at her angrily. 

"YOU KNOW THEM! DAMN YOU WOMAN!" he shouted, then walked out of the room. 

The woman settled back against the wall, a frown on her face. 

A few moments later, the young man with the long blue hair walked in, and knelt by the cell door. He had a tray in his hand. 

"Don't mind him, he's upset because he can't find the bodies of the original pilots." He said. The woman opened one eye and sighed. 

"Perhaps you are right Zechs." She said quietly. 

The young man looked at the entrance then looked back at her. 

"You never told me you knew Heero Yuy." 

"You never bothered to ask who I knew. You knew I was a pilot, and I flew a Gundam. It doesn't take the Zero system to put two and two together." 

Zechs shifted his weight. 

"Did you fly against my grandfather?" 

"No. Milliardo was one of the few sane ones."

She leaned back, letting loose a long, sorrowful sigh. Zechs looked at the woman, then left. 

*~*

She didn't know how they managed to do it, but they did. 

They got caught. 

She had been sitting in the darkness of her cell for hours, it could have been days or years, and she didn't care. 

She had looked up as the door opened, and the other boy, Nicholas Catalonia, pushed five people in. 

They were men, by their stature. The first one stood proudly though his hands were behind his back. The second was a little shorter than the others, with snowy white hair and quietness about him. The third moved as if without emotions, the second was protesting loudly that the first three walked too slowly. The last was in need of a cane… and her medical knowledge proved that it that was because of damage to the knee of his left leg by the way he was limping. She knew who they were… she was sure of it!

They were placed in the next cell over… since it was the bigger cell. Hers was solitary confinement. She watched Nick leave, then let her eyes adjust to the darkness. 

"OWMYFOOT!" someone shouted in the cell next to her. She chuckled at the old… but still recognizable voice of her love.

"So we meet again, Chang Wufei, Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, Duo Maxwell and especially Heero Yuy." 

"Who's there!" Wufei wheezed through clenched teeth. Duo looked up from nursing his hurt foot. Lyla got up on the chair and put her head to the opening, and lit a candle that Zechs had sneaked to her. The light illuminated the cell. 

It was they, all right. Heero leaned against the wall in a corner, a cut across his cheek and a battered arm, but otherwise none the worse for wear. Duo had bruises all over his head, his braid was a little matted over, but he was recognizable, even though she hadn't seen him for years. Trowa still had "the" hair, and his acrobat's body had worn well, and was still there more or less. Quatre had turned into a grandfatherly short man with a face that showed more smile wrinkles than she expected. Wufei, ever the stern pilot, had almost refused to age, except his gray hair and wizened face. They all wore the prison uniform, skin-tight gray. 

"Duo…" she breathed holding out her hand through the bars. "I've missed you so much…" 

The former Deathscythe pilot looked into her eyes, her sorrowful blue eyes, and grasped her hand. 

"Lyla! Oh God… what are the chances of this, huh?" 

She held his hand to her cheek, a tear slipping out from behind her glasses. 

"You're alive! Oh thank anyone up there you're alive!" she whispered. 

Quatre smiled slightly, recognizing his old friend. 

"We're all together again. Now, how do we get out of this place?" Duo questioned. He felt Lyla's grip falter. 

"I haven't found a way out of solitary, but there's a vent behind where Heero's standing. It's only wood there… behind is a well and there's a river. I hear it rushing every spring, but it should be stagnant now." She said. 

"Come with us Lyla! You've got to get out of here!" Duo said. He looked at her through the grate, and saw only a shadow of the Lyla he once knew. 

She had gotten skinnier, with hair the color of the stone around her. Her eyes were bright, but only with the flame of fury and determination not to die. At least that part was the same, he thought. 

Lyla only shook her head. 

"You need to get back to Scarlet. Please tell me you haven't let her pilot Duo…" 

"WHAT? How do you know about Scarlet?" he asked, his eyes grew wide. 

"I…" she started… he felt her hand pull away. "… can't tell you." She finished. Heero had in the mean time, shoved aside the false wall that someone had put there. Beside was a single oxygen tank, with LM written on it. 

"No wonder she knew it was here." He thought aloud. He turned to the others and nodded. 

"It's here." 

Lyla turned, her hearing keened by the years of living in meager silence picked up someone walking. 

"It's him! You must go, now, he's going to give you the serum!" 

"Lyla… I promise we'll brake you out of here babe… just as soon as we get to our kids. I'll make sure Scarlet's OK…" Duo said, and blew her a kiss in a cocky way. He disappeared from view, and as soon as Lyla heard the five splashes, then blew out the light. 

"Good luck guys…" she whispered. 


	6. The Peacecraft Institute - Zechs The Thi...

It had been two weeks since they left the Earth… and still nothing had been done. 

Kiyoshi looked at the other pilots. Scarlet still had an ace bandage around her wrist… he wasn't able to tell her he was sorry. She now looked sullen, dead. Her braid was ill made. He pretended that he didn't care. 

Max occasionally looked at the sick-looking Scarlet, but for the most part his eyes were ambiguous. 

Basim looked more worried about the well being of the Woman pilot, but said nothing. Lian just sat there looking grouchy. 

"We need to find out where they're operating." Kiyo said. "I believe we should return to Earth, surely there are places where we can go. I will go to the Peacecraft Institute in Cinq. Max?"

"The circus is performing in Italy and will tour Russia. I will return there." 

"Basim?" 

"My family has a vacation home in one of the deserts. I shall go there." The blonde pilot replied. 

"Lian?" 

"I will go to family in China." 

"Scarlet, you'll come with me to the Peacecraft Institute, I…" 

"Oh I just KNEW you loved me Kiyoshi!" she spat sarcastically. 

"… need to keep an eye on you so you don't kill yourself." He finished. Scarlet looked reproachfully at Kiyoshi, but said not a word.

"Then it is agreed. We will leave tomorrow morning." 

*~*~*

"We have no idea where we are, we have no idea where THEY are… we have no idea…" 

"We're all in agreement Duo, we have no idea." Heero calmly stated. He had his eyes closed as he leaned against a tree, near the fire that Wufei had made. The five pilots were cold and miserable. 

"They'll be fine, they all have good heads on their shoulders." Quatre said cheerily, then coughed. Trowa looked at him cautiously from behind his mustard yellow bangs. 

"Yeah, you're probably right Quatre." Duo muttered, and lay on the ground, his hands under his head as he looked up at the moon. A shuttle flew across it, and he wondered how Scarlet was holding on.

*~*~*

"NO! NO WAY! NO WAY IN _HELL_!" Scarlet shouted at the top of her lungs as Max and Lian held onto her arms. She kicked desperately. 

"You don't have a choice in the matter." Kiyoshi said. "The school uniform requires skirts." Kiyoshi said. He held up a white skirt, looking for any holes.

"NO WAY! IF I GOTTA WEAR A SKIRT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WEAR ONE KIYOSHI! LET ME GO NOW!" She cried out again

"It doesn't matter. You either get it on or you're staying here all alone. Locked in your room where depending on when we find our enemy, you starve to death." 

"WHAT? KIYOSHI YUY YOU WOULDN'T DARE!" she screamed. She landed a kick in the shin to Lian and a left hook to the jaw of Max. Then turned tail and ran.

Kiyo sighed… he had seen this one coming… and locked the door to the mess hall. 

Scarlet pounded on the door… then turned and shook her head. 

"NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" 

*~*~*

It was late in the day when the two new students arrived at the Peacecraft Institute for Young Ladies and Gentlemen in New Port City. 

Now run by the elderly warrior Milliardo Peacecraft and his wife Lucretzia Noin Peacecraft, the Institute helped to promote peace in he colonies and on Earth, though sometimes it didn't always work. The day the two students arrived, things began to get tense. 

One of them was a girl of sixteen, whose long red hair was worn down her back. The other was Mr. Peacecraft's own great-nephew, Kiyoshi Yuy. He had been contacted that he would be taking classes there to help learn the Peacecraft and Cinq policies 

They arrived via taxi from the spaceport; Kiyoshi had gotten out first, and was holding a hand to Scarlet (who hadn't gotten used to a skirt yet) when none other than his second cousin, Milliardo Peacecraft the Third, spun him around. 

"Well if it isn't my dear little cousin, Kiyoshi." He said blandly, and forced him against the taxi. 

"How's Uncle Heero huh? He still alive and kickin'?" 

"More than you'll be unless you learn manners." Scarlet said, hoping out. 

Kiyoshi cleared his throat. 

"Scarlet, this is my cousin Milliardo Peacecraft the Third. Milliardo, this is Scarlet. I gave her a ride here." The Japanese pilot said calmly. Zechs smiled as he dropped his cousin. He stepped over to Scarlet, and kissed her hand. 

"A pleasure to meet a woman as beautiful as yourself. I'm sure when you are rested from dealing with my most un-charming cousin, your speech would be as pretty as your emerald eyes."

Scarlet bulked slightly, backing away. 

"Don't count on it, Bucko."

"Please, call me Zechs. Everyone does." 

"Right… Zechs…" Scarlet offered a slight smile. Milliardo melted.

Nicholas came upon the scene, and smiled at Scarlet. 

"Well hello Miss tall, red and beautiful. Nicholas Catalonia, may I ask what your name is?" 

"Scarlet Erin." She said. She blinked her eyes charmingly. "I hope you three gentlemen excuse me, I need to find my chamber, I _am_ a little sleepy after my flight." She bounced off. Kiyoshi could swear he saw drool coming out of Nicholas Catalonia's mouth. 

"What a babe!" he mouthed to Zechs. Zechs heartily agreed.

"She's spoken for I believe." Kiyoshi said blandly, then picked up his pace and left the two drooling nineteen-year-olds in his dust. 

*~*~*

The circus was alive when Max returned; the clowns had just gone into the center ring. 

"MAX!" Claire shouted as Max stepped into the backstage. She embraced her long time friend, her auburn hair falling over his shoulders. Max simply did nothing. 

"Where have you been Max? I've been so worried? Where's Trowa?" she barraged him with questions. Max simply slipped away and got into his outfit. 

"Trowa's gone. He retired somewhere." He said plainly. Claire looked at him. 

"Fine then Max." she said silently. She looked solemnly at the youth, which had turned into a man. "There's something wrong, Max… I wish you would trust me." She whispered, then followed the man inside.

*~*~*

Basim smiled as one of his nephews leapt upon him, crawling up onto his shoulders. 

"Hey James! How's it going?" he laughed as the four-year-old climbed down and opened Basim's suitcase, spilling clothes onto the floor. 

"Good. Where's Grandpa? He coming? Where's the presents?" 

Kyle, his older brother-in-law walked out of the house as Rose, Basim's elder sister peeked out the window, holding another baby. 

"How are you doing, Basim?" he asked, and picked up James. James squirmed in his father's grasp. 

"I'm all right… sorry James no presents this time around." Basim smiled kindly, and tussled the young boy's hair. James laughed and hugged his father, grinning as Rose walked out. 

"It's good to see you Basim, we were worried. We'll have to tell Grandma Dorothy that you're all right at least… we heard about Grandpa." She said. She hugged her brother. 

Basim backed up a bit. 

"Yeah…" he said absently. 

Miles away, Faris was hidden away in a cave, the eyes darkened. 

*~*

Chen Lian sat on the hatch to the cockpit, contemplating. He sighed to himself as he stood and stretched in the dying dusk sun. 

He looked up at Shen-Li, Gundam of Spiritual Truth. This Mobile Suit that he had been trained to use… he had given his life to his cause now. He knew there was no turning back. He stood, facing the dusk. 

"Good night, Master Chang." He said aloud out of habit, then retreated inside the cockpit of the Gundam. 

*~*

Kiyoshi couldn't believe it. Less than a week after coming to the school, Scarlet had almost gotten kicked out five times.

"But I didn't know it'd be that powerful!" about the cherry bombs in the toilets

"I thought that's what you meant by painting!" when she painted a gigantic green dragon swallowing up the art teacher… in graphic detail. 

"THEY started it!" when she had beaten the wrestling class… all forty students. 

"But he WANTED a new hair cut!" when one boy had insulted her hair… so she shaved his head and was preparing to tattoo "LOSER" on the back… no one knew where she got the tattoo kit.

"Hey! It's MY room!" when she re-painted her room… completely black and red. 

Kiyoshi, he had begun to bore of Scarlet… then something happened. 

The others started to come to the institute. 

Chen Lian was the first to arrive, acknowledging Kiyo, then at a grudge Scarlet. The next was Max, who came when the circus came to town, announcing that he would take a vacation from the troop. The last was Basim, who arrived when his Gundam had nearly been discovered by his nephew. 

Kiyoshi couldn't be more miserable. 

If the problems with Scarlet weren't enough, the other pilots made it more dangerous. 

There was a constant threat, and Kiyoshi knew it. There were too many distractions at this school… 

Scarlet was probably the biggest distraction of them all. She kept on flirting with his cousin, Zechs, and Nicholas Catalonia. He couldn't believe that he was becoming jealous of his cousin. 

The fourth day after Basim arrived, things got a little… sticky. 

*~*

Basim, Kiyo and Scarlet were walking down to class, since Scarlet, the youngest of the group had been moved up a grade from 10 to 11th. Some senior kids paused and smirked as the checked Scarlet out. Scarlet pretended not to notice them. Nick and Zechs walked up.

"Hi, Scarlet, want me to carry your books? They sure look heavy." 

"Jeez, I've never seen that school uniform look as good on any other girl, what's your secret, huh Scarlet?" 

"C'mon Scarlet. You don't want to be late for class." Basim said, glancing at his cousin. 

Nick grinned.

"Why, if it isn't little Basim Atif Winner, Grandpa's favorite little suck-up." He said

Basim glowered silently, then shrugged. 

"I was never a suck-up, Nicholas." He said. 

"You were a brown noser, Basim. You ALWAYS sucked up to Grandpa Quatre." He smirked as he took Scarlet's books for her. Zechs grinned from behind Nick.

"Uh… Nick I'm quite capable of carrying my own books, besides, if my arms got tired… Kiyo or Basim I'm sure could carry them for me, I wouldn't want to trouble you by making you late for class." She explained in a sickeningly sweet tone. Kiyo swore he could feel his teeth aching.

Basim blushed slightly, and Kiyoshi rolled his eyes. 

"All right, let's go, Scarlet." Kiyo took Scarlet's books, handed them to Basim, grabbed Scarlet by the hand and led the way down to the class. Scarlet turned, and waved coyly at the two. 

Lian and Max walked out from their class as Kiyo, Scarlet and Basim passed. Max spotted Basim and walked over to him. 

"New girlfriend?" 

"Kiyo's orders." Basim replied. The bell rung and all five students rushed to class. 

*~*~*

Around a campfire, the five pilots sat; their Gundams loomed behind them in the shadows. 

Kiyo stared intently into the fire. His yellow bandana held his moss green hair back, and his jeans were slightly dirty at the knees. His pale blue eyes glanced up at the grouping around him.

Scarlet leaned back, her arms behind her head. She glanced up at the stars through her rimless glasses, the shine of the moon like pale eyes on the glass. Her braid was over her shoulder, tied in a neat bow with black lace. He could see a lock pick shining through the crimson hair like a diamond. Her loose black pants, black boots, and black sweatshirt seemed so dim compared to her personality.

Max was listening to Basim chatter on, wearing a long red sweatshirt, and skin-tight jeans. His forest green eyes had their dazed, dreamy look about them. His tawny colored hair was swept to the side, in the classic Barton uni-bang. He was spinning a silver coin on a rock in front of him.

Basim chattered as he tended the fire, wearing his light blue shirt, navy blue vest and a pair of dark jeans. His blonde hair fell into his deep colored eyes as he talked on about his family. Max listened, fascinated by the different life from his. 

Chen Lian sat a little apart from the others, his face was calm and he was centered. He glared at Scarlet angrily. His black pants and dark gray shirt seemed to make him appear just a floating head with a scowl. 

Scarlet sat forward, the firelight shining into her eyes. She glanced around.

"I don't know about you guys, but I have a funny feeling Mr. Maxwell's alive." She said, standing up. Her glasses reflected the firelight beautifully, making her seem almost comical. 

"No one could have survived that blast, Scarlet." Lian said. 

The other boys silently agreed against the young woman. Scarlet glanced around. 

"I can't believe this! You don't even want to go out and fight against these people! We're endangering people who don't know there's a war coming by staying here! You think these Gundams here are part of the naturally occurring environment! We're hiding here thinking they can't find us… you, Kiyo, your father kept on fighting and nearly died fighting the Scorpions and Neo-OZ when they were our age! We have to do something!"

Kiyoshi looked at the angry pilot with stern, empty eyes. 

"What are you proposing we do?" 

"Go find our mentors. They know what we should do." 

"And the first thing they'd say, would to boot you. They're dead, Maxwell." Lian said, his voice cold. 

Scarlet sighed, then sat on the foot of Bran. 

"Believe what you like, Lian. I KNOW Mr. Maxwell's still alive." She whispered. 

The pilots were silent, until one by one they left for the campus.


	7. YOU'RE ON L1?!

Author's Note: 

Karasu- Raven (or so I'm told)

Wakatta - I understand.

Ossu! - Casual "hi!" - Gokou from Dragon Ball Z would use this. 

*~*

It was Saturday morning, the free day for the Peacecraft Institute children. 

Scarlet arose early, with the sun. She stretched her arms and slipped out of her nightgown into her familiar jeans and riding T-shirt. She braided her hair quickly, wrapping the end of it with the black ribbon, tying it in a bow. She smirked to herself as she checked the mirror, the same redheaded freckle face tomboy peered back at her. 

"Good morning, gorgeous…" she laughed to her reflection, then looked at herself. It had been two months since she had last seen Mr. Maxwell… and she knew she was getting closer to a breakdown. It wasn't bad during the day, but every evening she left the school and went to the grove that the team kept the Gundams in, and looked at Bran. She felt she had betrayed her trainer… 

She sighed as she slipped on her glasses, she had been wearing them more and more; the headaches she had from not wearing them were more frequent. She brushed up her bangs with her fingers as a knock came to her door.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." She said as she put her eye to the peephole.

Kiyoshi waited with his eternal patience. 

Scarlet opened the door and smirked. 

"Couldn't get enough of me, eh?" she laughed. Kiyoshi grabbed her wrist. 

"There's been an incident, Scarlet. Our Gundams are gone."

*~*~*

Basim, Lian and Max had already arrived at the grove, and Scarlet glanced in disbelief. 

"NO! BRAN! ANYTHING BUT BRAN! NO, NO, NO!" she fell to her knees, and covered her face. 

"Scarlet… get up. I just figured that would get you out here sooner." Kiyoshi said. Scarlet jumped up, and glared at Kiyoshi. 

"Oh very funny. And here I was thinking that you were all emotionless and stuff." She grinned. 

Kiyoshi rolled his eyes. 

"We need to discuss something, Scarlet." Lian said. Scarlet blinked

"What is it guys…" she began, but looking in their eyes told her all she needed to know. 

They wanted her out of the team. They wanted it to be Civilian Scarlet Erin Maxwell from the L2 colony, instead of the Lady of Lost Souls of Gundam Bran. 

"Scarlet, we're asking you to leave the team." Kiyoshi said. 

Scarlet's face turned hard. 

"Oh sure, have Scarlet go back from where she came from, you don't care about what I have do you? Well you know I have no family to go back to. I don't have great uncles who own schools, I don't have grandmothers, and I don't have any friends! Wanna know what I have? I have a trainer, who's out there somewhere, and I have a Gundam, and I have a war to fight! I have four people who are supposed to be my friends, my teammates, but are making me quit because I'm a woman." She reached into her pocket, and pulled out the bottle of pills. She looked at them. 

"I'm not sure if Kiyoshi told you, but I have to take these pills when I get stressed, that's why I'm so random, and I try to be relaxed. I was shot in the head when I was five, I'll even show you the scar if you don't believe me. What he doesn't know, is that these pills mean the difference to life and death to me. Sure, it'd be easier to quit and just go back to L2, but where would I go? The apartment I had is gone; everything was in that base. That base was my home, now this school is, and wherever my home was that's where Mr. Maxwell was, now he isn't there for me… at least yet. Can't you see? I'm not here out of honor, or because my trainer chose me, I'm here because I want to be. I had full permission to be able to leave this team when I saw it fit… I have no duties to this team other than to fight because I want to fight." 

The boys blinked. They hadn't taken this into consideration. Kiyoshi looked up and saw tears in the woman's eyes. Lian saw them too, and tried to find a fault in them… but was there fault in wanting something so bad to cry? Basim dug the toe of his foot into the ground, and Max leaned against a tree. 

"If you want me to leave, fine. We'll split, but then I'm out on my own. I don't want to take the guarantee that I have a place to go, where would I go? I'd go to Kiyoshi's grandmother's home… that's where Mr. Maxwell wanted me to go. He told me before. But I can't accept other people's hospitality, because it's a great big mean existence with sharp teeth, and when life bites I'm gonna bite it back!" 

No one spoke as Scarlet turned, and hit the small button hidden at the black Gundam's ankle, the hatch opened and the lead rope came down. She put her foot in the loop and grasped tightly with one hand. The wind started to blow, her bangs got in the way of her vibrant green eyes. 

The boy pilots glanced at each other, as she bid adieu with a dismissing wave of her hand. She stepped onto the lowered hatch and got into her Gundam. 

The hatch closed as she slipped her glasses on, making sure they were secure behind her ears. She leaned back and fastened her safety belt, she hoped that one of her "friends" would come onto the comm and tell her not to leave… but as she turned on the monitors to the outside of her Gundam, she saw they all stood talking together… her heart sunk. 

"Mr. Maxwell… I'm sorry… I'll make sure there's peace, even if I have to fight alone!" she whispered harshly, and glanced to the one picture she had left, the one that she had stuck in one of her books. It was a year ago, her 15th birthday when he had taken her to the park in autumn, and the first time she had ridden a horse. He had been seated on a big bay horse, and she had a smaller roan mare, they were both laughing, it had been so happy. 

She started up her Gundam, her fingers flying over the keyboards to the side and the front, activating the thrusters to push Bran upward. 

They all turned as the Gundam took off, watching as it changed from the almost human Suit mode to the Raven mode, turning into a fighter jet. 

Scarlet flew out of their lives much as she had entered it; leaving behind thoughts and regrets, as well as what Kiyoshi would think a broken promise… she had broken a promise to herself.

*~*

Kiyoshi watched silently as the black Gundam left into the sky.

"_Wakatta, Karasu-chan._" He whispered. 

"Getting weak, Kiyo." He said to himself. 

He only started to worry about Scarlet when she didn't come back for eight days.

*~* 

She returned to space, working on the L1 colony, working under an alias. She ran a hand through the long, red ponytail as she leaned over a carburetor of some rich person's limo. 

"Who in their right mind would paint their limo _pink?_" she thought to herself as she pulled a wrench from her tool belt. And tapped it softly against the gas line. 

The light was dim in her own section of the workshop, so she had hung a light on the hood, muttering a few soft curses beneath her breath… how she came to be working for some fat man who paid her near next-to-nothing, she didn't know. 

However, she was picking up Japanese, she supposed that was a bonus. She now knew the four basic ways to call someone a bastard and/or/asshole. 

"You! Woman!" the boss called, making Scarlet jump up and bang her head on the hood of the limo. She glanced at him while rubbing her head. 

"Step it up! The Yuy and Winner ladies are waiting patiently for their ride!" he called… Scarlet sighed. 

"And my past comes back to haunt me." She muttered softly. 

She returned to working, when she saw a younger kid, maybe five years old with light brown hair and big, blue eyes looking into the car with her. 

"Hey, Kid." She said softly, the kid looked up at her, then gasped, turned, and totted yelling "GRANMA! GRANMA! IT'S THE PICTURE-MAN WITH LONG HAIR! GRANMA!"

Scarlet glanced into the waiting room, and dropped her mouth; she recognized the two people, from the history books at school and a portrait over the mantle place in the drawing room of the Institute. Relena Peacecraft-Yuy, albeit an older one, and if the other one was Winner… that would be… that would be Dorothy, Basim's grandmother. 

She quickly turned back over her work, and started to work on the car REALLY fast, if they recognized… 

"DUO!" Relena called out into the darkened room, and Dorothy grabbed the braid, and pulled it back. 

"HEY! Pardon me, ladies, but I think you got the wrong braid! I dunno a Duo!" Scarlet cried out, her glasses dropping to the floor and the back of her head bashing against the hood of the limo (again). 

"Oh! Dorothy, let her go, it's not Duo!" 

Scarlet felt the tug on the braid release, she rubbed the back of her head as she tried to focus on the two, then sighed. 

"You wouldn't want to hand me my glasses would you? I'm blind as a bat without them, and I WAS trying to fix the limo." She said softly. 

"Oh, yes, apologies…" the one she supposed was Relena Peacecraft-Yuy said… 

"James… where are the glasses…?" the other said. 

"Oh-oh… James made a boo-boo Granma…" Scarlet recognized the sound of broken glass. 

"Oh boy…" she said softly, then heaved a sigh. 

"Oh… uh…" Dorothy said, then picked up James. 

"Miss we'll pay you back for the glasses, who should I make the check out to…"

"Look, Mrs. Winner and Mrs. Yuy, I know you're both like, rich and all but it doesn't really matter, I've been reduced from pilot to minor mechanic in a period of nine days, boy Kiyo and Lian would get a laugh outta this now." She said dimly. 

Relena raised her eyebrows… 

"Well…" Dorothy said softly "that explains the braid." 

Scarlet laughed slightly. 

"Yeah, some pilot I am huh?" she said sadly. 

"C'mon, Maxwell." Relena said softly. "You look like you could use some time off. 

"NO! I mean… I'm self-sufficient! Just because I'm a girl everyone thinks I can't take care of myself! Well you know what? I have an apartment, I have food shopping to do and I have to make a payment on my bike, I have so many things to do I don't know what to take care of FIRST! Maybe I should take care of myself first!" she felt the tightening in her lungs as she reached for the bottle that held her pills with her right hand and the water bottle to the other side with her left as she cried. She took out two pills and slipped them in her mouth, followed by a gulp of water. She laughed slightly. 

"Yeah, I'm self-sufficient, I think I'm gonna go and crash or something." She said with a laugh. 

James took Scarlet's hand. 

"Where's Basim?" he asked. 

"Who knows… they don't want me around." she said with a sigh. She picked up the glasses frames from the ground and slipped them into her pocket. 

*~*

Kiyo picked up the phone in the dorm room he shared with Basim, it was late at night and the phone happened to be right above him. He was clad in just his boxers; a gun lay on the table beside the phone. 

"Yeah? Kiyoshi here." He said rubbing his eyes. 

"Kiyo, so good to hear from you, you don't call you don't write I was beginning to get worried! What kind of friend are you huh?" 

Kiyo's eyes opened wide as he shouted

"SCARLET?!?!?!" 

"Who else would bother to be calling you collect from L1? Well I would, except I'm at your grandma's place, oh tell Basim his grandmother said hi too." 

Basim had woken up because of Kiyo's yell, and blinking the sleep out of his eyes, 

"Who is it, Kiyoshi?" he asked, looking dazed. Kiyoshi glared at Basim, and sighed. 

"Scarlet, what are you doing at my grandmother's home?"

"Well she was hanging out with Basim's grandma and I was repairing their limo and all when Basim's nephew broke my glasses and your grandmother kindly offered to take me in until I can return to Earth…"

"And you're calling to tell me this because you want to make sure it's OK to return?"

"No! I'm calling for you to help get me OUT of here! Your grandmother's making me wear DRESSES and going to DINNERS and I'm not allowed to LEAVE unless I have an ESCORT! Your grandmother's trying to turn me into HER!"

Kiyo thought about Scarlet attending one of his grandmother's parties… and felt sick. 

"All right…"

"Besides…" Scarlet lowered her voice "There was a stranger asking for you the other day, and Kiyo, he was wearing a uniform! They're making a move, Kiyo, just like our trainers said… we've got to get back into the swing of things. Bring your Gundams up, as it turns out there's a hangar in your basement." 

Kiyoshi raised his eyebrows. 

"And how'd you find that?" 

"Oh, your grandmother showed me. Other than trying to make me a lady she's all right." 

*~*

They all breathed the air of the clogged L1 colony, the braided one smiled at his companions. 

"Well, I say we hit the hangar, get a shower then try to find the kids." He said with a grin. The one with the walking stick was tempted to just smack him upside the head with it… just once. 

"I'll have to agree with Duo." The one with white hair said "We do need to contact the pilots… gosh that seems weird." 

"You can't even SWEAR in your old age, Quatre?" 

"Never got into the habit, besides it set a bad example for my children and grand-children."

*~*

The boys glanced around the spaceport that connected the L1 colony where the Yuy family lived to the rest of the universe. Kiyoshi shouldered his pack and started walking; he had been this way when his father went on business trips, and when he took holidays with Grandmother Relena and grandfather Heero. Max was right behind him, being from the circus he saw space ports all the time. Lian was too cold to take in the beauty of the spaceport, which resembled a traditional Japanese house, with rice paper walls and all. Basim was looking around in awe, and had to rush to catch up with the others. 

They came out onto the busy street, people hawking their wares to the world, a limo pulled up, and down rolled the window showing the freckled face of the red-haired pilot. 

"Pardon me, but do you have any gray…" she started

"Scarlet, move over and let us in now." 

"Ah, you NEVER let me have any fun Kiyo! And not even a hello!" she pouted, then moved over opening the door for her friends.

"KIYO!" Someone shouted, and a familiar blue-blonde and blonde couple made their way over… Zechs and Nick… Basim winced at the sight of his cousin. 

"Ossu Zechs-san, Nick-san! What's up?" Scarlet said. Kiyo looked at her. 

"You speak Japanese, Scarlet?" 

Scarlet turned, taking her braid out

"Enough to call someone a bastard." 

Zechs and Nick hopped into the all ready cramped Limo, and Kiyoshi spoke over the din

"Back to the Yuy house, driver." He shouted, and glared at his cousin. 

"Man! What are you two doing up here, follow Kiyo's example and got outta that stuffy school?" Scarlet asked, sitting all prim. 

Kiyo opened the window with the thought of throwing up out of it… instead of listening to his cousin talk to Scarlet he turned to Basim and his cousin. 

"So Basim, what are you doing here?" 

"Visiting."

"Oh? Who then?" 

"Grandma Dorothy is at the Yuy mansion visiting with Relena." Basim answered, he turned and looked out the window. "L1 is very different from L4, isn't it Nicholas?" he said absently. Kiyo sighed and turned back to Scarlet as Zechs gave a yelp of pain, Scarlet glared through her glasses at him. 

"Don't you EVER try that with ANY woman EVER Milliardo Peacecraft the Third! Or I'll…" 

"Scarlet." Kiyo barked. Scarlet scowled as she turned to Kiyo. 

"I didn't do anything!" Zechs replied, and scooted away from Scarlet. 

"Not do anything my ASS! He was rubbing my THIGH! Of all the disgusting, low, dirty things he could done he was rubbing MY THIGH!" she put a finger right under his nose, her green eyes full of womanly fury. "You do know, of course, THIS means WAR!"

The limo pulled to a stop and Scarlet got out, slamming the door behind her. 

Zechs turned to his cousin. 

"Is it that time of the month for her?"

*~*

Scarlet sighed as she kicked a can out of her path… she did NOT let ANYONE touch her, ESPECIALLY not in the way that Zechs was touching her. She leaned against the wall, and felt a hand tap her shoulder… she turned raising her arm as if to block a punch, to stare into the icy eyes of Kiyoshi.

"Hi Kiyo." She said, turning away. He leaned against the wall with her, and sighed. 

"What's wrong with you, Scarlet? You don't just go running out in the middle of a street in a strange city." 

"I wasn't going to share a car with him. He's rude, self-centered, a smart-ass, I just can't HANDLE another ME!" she laughed slightly, then sighed. "It's weird, here I am, the Lady of Lost Souls, and I'm getting upset… whatever. I'm going back to base." She said, and walked off. Kiyo shook his head and turned around, taking a left; after all, he knew all the shortcuts to his house.

*~*

"Well, it is an honor to have everyone over." Relena said at supper that night, a grand Italian meal of spaghetti, meatballs, sausage, garlic bread, and even accompanied by a customary glass of wine (which Scarlet politely refused, opting to a tall glass of milk). Kiyoshi was surprised; Scarlet wore her hair down, in waves around her face and a green dress that made her hair appear like fire. Obviously Zechs noticed this, and shot winning smiles at Scarlet, who ignored his efforts. She, instead, talked to Max, who didn't say anything the entire meal. 


	8. Scarlet's Facination with Death/ Shi no ...

Scarlet sighed as she hung suspended from the rafters, having a rock-climber's harness on, her tools suspended from the belt she wore as she opened Bran's thruster grating. 

Kiyoshi watched from the catwalk before Raidon, the pilot's long braid hung from her shoulder, and as she turned upside-down to read something hung down like a very long tail. 

"Aha!" he heard her yell to no one in particular, as she took out her screwdriver and started turning something inside the thruster. Kiyoshi pondered turning on the thrusters, thinking it would be interesting to hear her scream. 

She latched the grating back onto the thruster and swung away from the Gundam, and swung back to the catwalk. She smirked. 

"The Lady of Lost Souls has done it again!" she laughed, Kiyoshi looked at her blandly.

"What is this fascination with death, anyway Scarlet?" he asked her as he leaned against the rail of the catwalk.

"Oh, something I inherited I guess… a lot of life is predicable but death isn't. It's almost a barrier…" she sighed slightly, then smirked. "I was raised as the Daughter of the God of Death, but since I'm not blood I can only be nobility and not royalty, so I'm the Lady of Lost souls." 

"What about _Shi no Karasu?_" He asked her. 

"Nani, Kiyo-chan?" she replied with a question. 

"It more or less means the Raven of Death." He said with a shrug. 

Scarlet laughed as she ran a hand over her bangs, her hands wandering to the ribbon she tied her braid with, she tightened it and glanced at Kiyoshi as she turns. 

"It fits me. I like it… mind if I keep it?" she smirked as she walked to the separate catwalk that led to the hatch of Bran. 

"Hn." Kiyoshi answered as she slipped inside the cockpit. 

Scarlet sighed as the hatch closed, encasing her in the familiar darkness of her Gundam. She pushed the trigger button, and glanced at the screen as it glowed dully. 

She mummered the commands to herself as her fingers glided over the keys.

"Run training simulator, program Scarlet four, countdown twenty." She spoke softly as she typed with one hand and slipped her other around the joystick controls.

As the screen buzzed to live with the countdown she placed the other hand around the other joystick, slipping her feet into the pedal controls. She smirked as the enemies that had been programmed onto the simulator came on, identifying them as SCORPIO5.

The simulation had her take out the beam scythe as she flew to battle, the wings of Bran spreading angelically as the two beam scythe blades on either end came forth, the two ends separated at the half, creating a sickle for each hand. The power for the sickles was brought through the pads on Bran's hands, and with the green plasma blades glaring brightly Scarlet went into battle against the 20 SCORPIO5 suits. 

The alarms went off on either side of her, but she stayed cool in the heat of battle, killing off the simulated enemies on the screen, her lightning-fast reflexes causing her to dart all over the place on the false battlefield. Her face was devoid of emotion as she concentrated, she knew if she was going to prove those boys _wrong _about her, she was going to have to be _better_ than them. 

The alarm beeped to live as another enemy came to the field, she pushed forward on the right pedal and backwards HARD on the left pedal causing the simulated screen to pan to the left as she fought the opponent head-on, she _recognized_ this Gundam!

Its white angel wings glowed in the green light of the beam saber; it had a bright red shield wielded in its arm. The eyes glowed a dangerous green; the crest on the Gundam was in a strait V… this was… 

"Wing Zero…" she breathed as she fought, blocking blows with the gauntlet shields on her Gundam and trying to get through to Zero. She knew that the other pilots, Kiyo, Lian, Basim, Max, they were all programmed in here, she even sparred against her self to see what she did too often. She didn't know that the TRAINERS were programmed in here!

Heero proved to be a tough opponent, not letting her get a shot in, her eyes darted around. 

A window beeped open… "RUN SCORPIO SYSTEM?" 

"Bran, what are you trying to make me run?" she asked between gritted teeth… in a flash she had hit the enter button. 

The cockpit glared in negative colors as the screen glowed like a black light. Scarlet's eyes were little more than glowing fire in their sockets, her skin blue by the light. Her reflexes got upped, as she found herself fending off Zero, and _winning_. 

With a mighty right blow followed by an uppercut with the sickle, the weapon pierced the head of Wing Zero; the internal cameras showing through he eyes as they dimmed.

The light in the cockpit faded to black…

*~*

The woman hit a button, her arms fresh and toned. 

"Duo, mind handing me that lens? No, the OTHER lens!" she called, knowing that Duo was purposely picking up the wrong lens. It was a long-running joke. 

"Aw Lyla, ya NEVER let me have any fun!" he complained as he handed the camera lens to her from the suspended catwalk. They stood before a black Gundam, the last Gundam that Lyla had designed. New Generation Gundam Deathscythe-Atermis Hybrid Death Raven-Type Gundam Wing Zero Two, she called it Bran for short. Duo had actually come up with the long name, figuring that maybe in ten years he'd be back in the pilot seat.

The woman, Lyla, fastened the lens cap onto the camera inside the eye, she had little time left and the last Gundam, her masterpiece and brainchild, was nearly finished. She heaved a sigh, yes this was her brainchild, but her real child was still un-born, hidden even from its father. She smiled softy, she knew that Duo would never set foot inside this Gundam to fight… the Preventer force was upped, new recruits pouring in from Earth, the five colonies, and Mars. She herself had been offered a job there, but had politely refused; she was going to retire back to Scorpio…

She laughed sadly. 

The boy with the chestnut brown braid looked at her as he climbed to the shoulder of the Gundam. 

"What's so funny, huh Lyla?" 

"Your face, Duo." She grinned as she leaned back, and looked at him, smiling softly. "Thinking about how funny it is, I'm twenty-one, I've been working for five years… and I'm retiring."

"Yeah, that IS kinda funny." He laughed, then he stopped. "Wait… retiring? But Lyla, I thought you were going to stay around a bit?" 

"Well… you know, Heero's marrying Relena, Dorothy and Q-tip are probably going to get married… I could always go and pull Wufei's pigtail because everyone thinks he should hook up with Sally Po… but then Sally might get angry with me." She laughed slightly at the thought. "And I'd like to see Trowa find a girlfriend sometime…" 

"And what about yours truly?" Duo pouted. Lyla hated it when he pouted. He looked so god-damn-cute. The God of Death… cute… another irony she supposed. 

"Mine truly has to keep an eye on the other pilots and make sure they don't get TOO settled." She smiled, and ran a hand through his bangs… should she tell him? He has the right to know about the baby. Maybe she should stay… "Besides, Duo, I have to get back to work." She sat on the shoulder of Bran with him, leaning her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead softly, and smiled nuzzling her short hair. 

"We certainly are the odd couple, ne Lyla?" he laughed. "Shinigami with long hair and _Shi no Megami_ with short hair." 

"D… Duo… I'm no where NEAR a goddess of Death!" she defended, giving a flirty tug at his braid. He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. 

"OK, OK, so you're not the Goddess of Death… how about… _Ai no Megami_?" he said, racking his brains to think of the right way to set that. It's been a long time since he learned Japanese to figure out exactly what Heero had been calling him. 

"What?" Lyla blinked.

"Goddess of Love." He said, and kissed her on the lips softly, slipping an arm around her waist.

"Duo! No… I… I can't!" she said, pulling away… crying. "I'm finishing Bran, and them I'm returning to Scorpio. Alone." She said, anticipating Duo's whine of 

"I WANNA GO!"

"Duo…" she thought, then turned away. She stood and leaped to the catwalk, and ran off. Duo looked after her, and sighed. 

"What do you WANT from me, Lyla? What have I done?" he asked himself.

*~*

Why am I remembering this? What does this have to do with me? Who is that Mr. Maxwell is talking to? The builder of Bran? Bran, why are you showing me this?

"Scarlet." 

No answer came from the redhead.

"Scarlet." The voice repeated… still no answer. 

"SCARLET."

"GAH!" 

"Hn." 

Scarlet rubbed her head, scowling. 

"How can you manage to talk in capitals but still have a period?"

"Hn?"

"Nevermind, Kiyo."

*~*

Scarlet sighed as she slipped on the new glasses that Relena had kindly bought for her as she stood and got out of bed. It's been too long a lull for her; she needed some excitement. 

She shed her pajamas (she still insisted on wearing the black silk ones - Milliardo Peacecraft had sent all the students things to his sister's house on a favor) and pulled on a pair of black jeans and a black tank top. She ran a hand through her hair, still loose as she pulled her dark blue shirt with the silver and red raven (she had as many shirts as she possibly could in the same print, different colors) and slipped it over the tank top. She took the ribbon from around a worn-out black cat toy that she had brought with her from L2. She smiled as she slipped down into a chair and took out a brush, brushing out her long, wavy locks.

Her reflection stared back at her in the mirror, and smiled back at her. 

"I'm a Gundam Pilot, but I'm still devil-may-care." She informed herself. She sighed, running a hand through her hair to part it. She started to braid it, braiding it tightly to make sure it didn't come out. She tied the ribbon tightly, then stood, running her fingers through her mass of bangs. She slipped on a cap over her head, making sure her glasses were secure. She slipped on a pair of thin, leather tech gloves, which completed the tough attitude suit she was wearing. She tied her boots, and on her way out she grabbed two pistols, slipping them on the holster she wore beneath the long, dark blue shirt. She smirked at her reflection now, tough… not a powder-puff girl who wanted to be tough, but tough. 

She walked out the door to her room, leaving a note she had written on the front table, and picked up a set of keys. 

She smirked… Kiyo had a car, and instead of listening to Scarlet complain Relena made him get an old relic out of the basement… 

It was a black motorcycle, Scarlet had been bent on repairing it, so she took out some different tools, a monkey wrench, a screwdriver, socket wrench… and something she had especially bought from the kitchen the night before. 

With a mouth full of chocolate cake she set to work.

*~*

It was nearly finished. The bike hadn't been as damaged as Scarlet thought, it needed an oil change, and new tires, and a new motor, but Scarlet took care of it (by borrowing stuff from the spare parts in the hangar- it was too out-dated to use in their own Gundams). She had really made the bike her own, painted a red raven made of fire upon the gas tank, gotten a real leather seat. A week ago, Dorothy and Basim felt so bad about James breaking her glasses they gave her two hundred dollars to replace them - and two hundred dollars from each was not too shabby! But, Scarlet couldn't accept all of it, so she bought Basim a new vest and Dorothy a VERY expensive bouquet in thanks. 

There were only crumbs now on the plate that once half a rich chocolate cake rested upon, Scarlet herself sat against the wall, looking very full and very content. 

Kiyo poked his head in, and rolled his eyes. 

"Scarlet, did you eat that WHOLE half of cake?" he asked. 

Scarlet belched. 

"Yup." 

"That's gross." He said, and looked at the bike. 

"What is? The fact that I belched or the fact I ate the entire half cake?"

"Hn." He gave her a sideways glance, then sighed. 

"The bike looks good. Does it run?" 

"How am I supposed to know? I haven't taken it out on its maiden voyage yet!" she laughed as she stood, and took a set of keys from her pocket. She sat herself on the seat of the bike (which, if you want to know, resembles a Harley Davidson in build) and slipped the keys into the keyhole. She turned the key, and revved the engine.

It roared to life then settled into a tiger's purr. 

"Like a kitten!" she laughed. She hit the garage opener on the wall next to the bike, and as soon as the door was high enough to admit her, she took off barreling down the boulevard. Kiyoshi yelled. 

"SCARLET! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WEAR A **_HELMET_**! SCARLET!" 

*~*

Her red braid flew freely behind her as she sped down the streets of the L1 colony, feeling as if she had wings she turned and twisted between the cars waiting for a stoplight, going right to the front. She didn't know what the Japanese people behind her yelled at her as she passed, but she didn't care. She was _free_, with this bike she was free…

Finally, she did stop, in front of a pet shop. She glanced up at the sign…

"Going Out of Business…" she said softly, and looked at the window. 

It had once said "RABBITS 4 SALE", showing a happy looking Easter bunny, but all that was left in there amidst the newspaper, carrot bits and sawdust was a very sad looking gray and white molted bunny with lop ears. Scarlet parked the bike, leaving the motor idling, and bent down to look at the rabbit. 

She looked at it; it had bright brown eyes, and a little twitching black nose. Its fur looked soft, comforting. Scarlet stood, looked both ways, and sighed. She walked into the shop…

*~*

After a few frustrated tries, Scarlet finally got a cashier that spoke English, and walked back out, a bunny in her arms. She smiled as she held it up, looking at the lop-eared rabbit. 

"Great, now that I've bought you I have to figure out a name for you! Well… we'll see." She laughed, rubbed her nose to the bunny's in an Eskimo-kiss, then laughed as she drove off back to the mansion, her rabbit under her arm. 

*~*

"SCARLET! WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT?" Kiyoshi yelled as he walked into her room, and saw Scarlet in front of a large cage, filling it with fresh newspaper and carrots and straw. 

"A rabbit hutch, Kiyo close the door, he might escape!" Scarlet called. 

Basim and Max poked their heads in, followed by a curious, cursing Lian (he had been woken up by Kiyoshi's yell). 

"What do you have NOW, Maxwell?" Lian asked. 

The rabbit in question poked his head out from under Scarlet's bed. 

"OH! It's a _bunny!_" Basim said, laughing "I thought that perhaps Scarlet had bought something strange home!" he walked in, Max followed and Lian followed, dragging in Kiyoshi. There was no way in hell he was getting caught with TWO rabbit-loving idiots. 

"What's his name?" Basim asked, picking the gray and white rabbit up from the floor. 

"_Shi no Usagi?_" Kiyoshi asked. There was a trace of a smile. 

"Nope. Not Rabbit of Death (Usagi! Ha, ha! Meatball head!). His name's Flopsy!"

Kiyoshi fell over… Death-Girl had named a BUNNY… Flopsy?


	9. The First Battle: The Enemy Appears

Scarlet lay half-asleep, her mind drifting… drifting…

She stood in the middle of a field, not wearing her black tank top but a green T-shirt and blue jeans, barefoot and alone. Her hair, which hung at her mid-back and not down to her shins was in a braid, but it was done by hands who had been braiding for decades, not her own tender hands. 

She blinked, not wearing any glasses yet the world was clear. Her bright green eyes held the innocence of youth. She took a step, almost able to smell the grass beneath her feet. 

Mr. Maxwell stood there, glancing over the city from the hillside of the green area of the colony. 

Scarlet, who remembered she was a full six years old wandered over to Mr. Maxwell, and tugged on his hand…

"Mr. Maxwell?" she asked him, looking into the not-quite-kid-not-quite-grown-up face of her mentor and father figure, he smiled as he knelt stiffly.

"Yeah, Scarlet?" he asked, picking the six-year-old up in his arms, and holding her aloft. 

"What's space?" 

"Well… space is what everything floats in. The planets, our colony, the other colonies, transport ships and shuttles, everything."

"Are we gonna go into space?" 

"When you're older, yes. You'll be flying in space."

"Oh, OK." She smiled; one of her baby teeth was missing. The freckle-face child glanced at the city below. 

"Mr. Maxwell?" 

"Yeah, Scarlet?" 

"Are you my daddy? Because Jessie has a daddy, and Harold has a daddy too… but they have mommies too..."

Duo's eyebrows furrowed slightly. He set the little kid on the ground, and took her hand. 

"Scarlet, families are not just mommies and daddies and kiddies, they can be granddaddies and grandmommies and kiddies, or uncles and sisters and kiddies… or they can be someone who's not even related…" he thought about how to word this so the six-year-old could understand what he was saying.

"Well… I guess I am kinda your daddy, but a daddy doesn't have to be related to the kid, but the daddy has to love the kid. And I love you, Scarlet Erin. And that's the reason why I tacked on a Maxwell to your name." He smiled as he picked the barefoot kid up into a bear hug. Scarlet gave a cry of joy at being lifted into the air, laughing. Duo swung her onto his back, and glanced over his shoulder. 

"How about we go to Jeff's Place and get some grub, huh kiddo?" he grinned. 

"OK!" Scarlet grinned back and Duo started walking down the road to the main colony.

*~*

The Scorpion, not Lyla Moore but this thin, skeleton-like man stepped out of the spaceport, glancing around. He smirked slightly at all the people… all the fools. They had no idea that a war was to be bought upon them…

He slowly made his way though the city, walking on foot to the Yuy household. The gears in his mind spun as he thought…

Five of them… there were five children who left the Peacecraft Institute to come here. He had sent his two best students after them, hoping to have them return to the Earth, but no. He knew their last names… two of them being relatives to his students. He went over them to himself as he walked. 

"Kiyoshi Yuy… grandson of a Gundam pilot… Basim Atif Winner, again, a grandson of the Gundam Sandrock's pilot… Max Barton; the name might be stolen from the pilot of Heavy-Arms when that worker took it over… Chen Lian… hmm… Chinese, born on the L5 colony, yes possibly a relative of the Preventer Chang Wufei… " then there was that girl. He had never met Duo Maxwell face-to-face, and he wasn't very highly in the public eye as Yuy or Winner was, nor was he a Preventer like Chang, but that girl had his last name… and also a resemblance that was dangerous to him. 

He thought back to the day that he had captured Lyla Moore… the "Lady Scorpion" as she had been dubbed. 

She had been leaving the L2 colony after some errand there. She had been flying alone, in a regular shuttle back to her colony, the secret colony of Scorpio. He had come up behind her in a prototype for his own mobile suits a suit he had dubbed Venom. Try as hard as Lyla could, she could not out-maneuver him… and was caught. She was weak in her old age with illness, and he had locked her in a cell, alone… for sixteen years now she's lived in the cell. He didn't know how she did it, but she had stayed alive, willing herself to live. 

That girl… the redhead had a semblance to her around the eyes. And the freckles… Lyla's mother had freckles… 

He chuckled to himself… he DID so find Lyla attractive in her youth.

He came to the door bronzed over with age as he rung the bell with a slender, bony hand. 

None other than the girl in the red hair answered the door. 

"Ossu! Can I help…" she began, her eyes grew wide "… you…"

*~*

She opened her eyes wide as she saw the man that haunted her dreams, she had seen his image once… using the Scorpion system in Bran during training... but she knew the man… she turned around and ran away from the door, screaming. 

Kiyoshi poked his head out of the study as she passed, and sighed. He heard the door close and turned the other way. 

"Hello, can I help you sir?" he asked stiffly. He didn't like the feel of his presence, a chill feeling that enveloped his body. 

"Yes, I was sent to retrieve seven students of the Peacecraft Institute who had decided that their classes were not as important as visiting." He said sternly. Lian, Max and Basim walked out of the study, followed by Zechs and Nick. 

Nick and Zechs stood stiffly up as they saluted their trainer. 

Scarlet walked back in right then, her face was hardened by sheer determination not to run from the nightmare-man. He smiled at her. 

"Oh, is this the so high spirited girl that Mr. Milliardo had worried about? Said that she had the attitude of a Gundam Pilot… ha good thing there aren't many of those around, eh boys?" he glanced at Nick and Zechs, who laughed Nervously, especially Zechs. 

"Well, in any case the seven of you have been called back to your studies. NOW." 

He knew… he knew this was Lyla's family… he had to destroy her. "I have a shuttle waiting for us, come along." 

*~*

They had all been forced to march, with Scarlet muttering that she didn't like this. 

"You have your pills?" Basim asked her with concern. 

Scarlet nodded… she wasn't risking anything. She patted her pocket, making sure the pill bottle was still in place.

"Halt." The Skeleton-man said softly, everyone stopped. He took out a gun, aiming it for Scarlet's head. 

"I know who YOU are! Scorpion tied and true!" he yelled, people started screaming. "Peacecraft, Catalonia, get to the hangar. It's time to show your battle training." He smirked. "Against this colony." 

Kiyoshi looked at Scarlet, who shrugged, and Lian, who nodded. 

"This is boring." She sighed… and started to turn around and run. 

"HEY! YOU! MOORE! GET BACK HERE NOW!" he called at the fleeting form, and began to pull the trigger, but Lian was ready for him. 

The Pilot of Shen-Li jumped into the air, kicking the gun out of the Scorpion's reach; Max caught it, fired a few rounds into the air and motioned with his head to start running. The four remaining pilots followed Scarlet; right behind was the Scorpion who was yelling obscenities at them. It didn't take them long to return to the Yuy mansion, and they ran through the rooms on their way to the hangar. 

Relena and Dorothy were sitting, having tea with an aged Lucretzia Noin-Peacecraft and Milliardo. 

"What's going on?" she asked as Scarlet ran through the room. 

"Gotta go save the colony!" she yelled. 

Kiyoshi ran through next 

"Sorry to cut it short grandmother hello Uncle Milliardo Aunt Lucretzia…" he started as he ran to the hangar. 

Milliardo raised an eyebrow at the retreating boy. 

"Relena…" he asked, turning to his sister, who shrugged. 

Lian came through, stopped, bowed, and then ran on. 

Basim came through followed by Max and kissed Dorothy on the cheek. 

"Pray for us, Grandma! We're going to battle and Scarlet's gone crazy." He said hurriedly, then followed Max (who hadn't waited for him) to the Hangar. 

Basim followed Max to the passage to the Hangar, which lay below the basements of the Yuy manor. There was a spiral staircase, which had long been un-used, they all raised dust as they ran. Basim sneezed. 

"Bless me!" he said aloud to no one. 

All the pilots rushed to the mobile suits as the siren came on, warning them of danger. Scarlet shot one on her way to Bran 

"SHUT UP!" she yelled as she leaped from the catwalk to the hatch - barely making it. 

They all rushed into their Piloting Suits - space suits the colors of their Gundams, part of their training stressed the importance of this… especially of Max's trainer, Trowa.

Scarlet grinned as she clasped her helmet on, laughing slightly to herself. 

"All right! Let's boogie!" she chuckled as she sat herself down in Bran. Kiyoshi clipped himself into Raidon as the hatch closed; Basim pulled down a pair of worn goggles- received from his Grandfather then slipped his helmet over them. Max leaned back in Blaze, glancing around as the monitors beeped to life. 

Scarlet grinned, she had been training harder than the other pilots, she slipped her feet into the foot pedals that controlled the thruster system, her hands slipping to the joysticks. 

"Turn on the Scorpion Jammers…" she heard a voice say in her head, she looked around, then smiled. 

"You got it, partner." She grinned as she hit a few buttons to the side in her enter code… the main screen showed her allies, outside her enemies, and herself, but it was a dimmed red dot in the center.

Beneath the Gundams, the floor dropped out of the hangar, and the Gundam's thrusters pushed them out into space. 

Raidon spread its wings out, Kiyoshi fancied feathers dropping from it like a golden angel's wings. Bran was all ready on its way, Scarlet's Gundam being the fastest of the five. The hands un-clasped as Bran reached back, pulling a lone pole from its "backpack". Kiyoshi had Raidon draw its beam saber, he noted Faris was baring the heat shorters. Blaze had drawn out its mega-gattling gun, and Shen-Li, the white Gundam had drawn out a beam staff, double plasma blades on either end. He looked up as the alarm sounded… the enemy… enemies were coming nearer. 

In the lead were two mobile suits, both blackened with red tails, like scorpions. 

Kiyoshi opened the comm

"Basim, they may be our cousins, but they are the enemies. Don't hold back…" 

But… Basim had already opened a comm link to the enemies. The other pilots all heard it. 

"Surrender and we'll spare your lives!" he called out, in one desperate attempt to save his cousin's life… it failed. 

*~*

Quatre glanced up through his glasses, as he carried a bag of groceries to Duo's apartment on L2, at the video screen on one of the buildings in the city. He dropped the bag, spilling out bacon, eggs, and a loaf of bread, his green-gray eyes opening wide through the glasses as he looked…

"Are they playing back… no! It's… it's THEM!" he stuttered, and started running back to the apartment, his breath heaving. 

He stumbled through the door, coming upon Duo loudly complaining that he was hungry, Heero pondering hitting Duo upside the head with his cane, Trowa being silent as usual and Wufei was glancing up. 

"The… kids!" he breathed, holding onto the wall for support. 

Duo IMEDIANTLY stopped complaining, and ran to the TV screen, turning on. 

"In late breaking news, there is a battle between mobile suits - which have been outlawed by the Colonies except for in the case of the Preventers. There appear to be seven manned mobile suits - five resembling the Gundams of AC 195 through 198. The other two are un-known… oh! That one looked like THAT hurt!" 

"D'oh! C'mon Scarlet! Get 'em! Get 'em!" Duo started cheering when Scarlet was hit in the back by a mobile doll suit.

"C'mon Scarlet… do it for me!" he begged…

*~*

Scarlet glanced at her VLM, worriedly reading the levels on her brain waves, knowing that she was pushing it… as one of the scorpion suit came up in front of her, knocking against Bran's legs and sending it spinning out of control… 

Mr. Maxwell, help me!

Pull up Scarlet… pull up! C'mon girl you can do it fire those side thrusters…

And then, the blackness came.

*~*

The space battle ended as quickly as it began; the enemy pilots had backed off, disappearing into space…

"Kiyoshi Yuy reporting in." Kiyo said, listening for the other pilots.

"Basim Atif Winner, I'm still here… luckily no one was hurt!"

"Max Barton." 

"Chen Lian still operational, damage reduction fifty percent…" 

Static… 

"Scarlet?" Kiyo heard Basim ask softly. 

"Scarlet, call in! MAXWELL! SCARLET!" Kiyoshi slammed his fist against the wall "All right, let's return to base and regroup." 

"Right." The other three pilots said… 

*~*

"Mayday, mayday this is Bran, anyone read, over?"


	10. Scarlet: Missing, Presumed Dead/The Retu...

Scarlet pounded the comm system with her fist, growling at it as she adjusted her glasses; the situation wasn't good. 

Bran's main thruster system, as well as the re-entry systems had crashed, and she would have to get out to get at it, and she wasn't in any position to leave the cockpit. She leaned back against the seat, un-clipping herself from the safety harness. She sighed as she ran a hand through her bangs, then ran a full system scan.

"So, they're getting rid of us, huh? Guess they got sick of me." She said softly. She glanced up at the pictures she kept up on the "dash board" of her Gundam. 

There was one from when she was very young; she had her arms wrapped around Mr. Maxwell's neck with a big smile. It was shortly after she had the bullet removed from her head, and she was still bald from the operation, she wore a black cap that was a little too big for her backwards. They were both laughing; she was so happy back then… 

She leaned her head back as an alarm came on, drifting too close to the Earth's gravitational field… she would be pulled into the atmosphere; she clipped herself back in, closing her eyes.

"So, I'm going to… this is the end…" she said softly as she felt herself slip into oblivion… the sweet, inky blackness that was her salvation in battle, but also her greatest fear. 

Over a small island base, a shooting star fell over the ocean, only one person was awake to see it

*~*

He stood upon the doorway of his own house, afraid to open the door. He felt someone poke him in the back. 

"Get on with it, Heero, I'm so hungry I could eat even Relena's cooking!" 

Heero growled… and… rung the bell. 

"GRANPA!" was all he heard before being knocked out of the way before hearing Quatre go 

"James GAH!" 

The sobbing 5-year-old held onto Quatre's waist, 

"James… James what's wrong?" the startled grandfather said… 

"Oh! Quatre!" Dorothy ran out and sobbed kneeling next to her husband, Relena came out and hugged Heero, Zechs and Lucretzia came out looking grave and very pale… and the last were the four pilots themselves. Kiyoshi bowed to his grandfather, then walked over to Duo. He handed him another picture, one that Scarlet never left home without, the one of him and her at her birthday… 

"I'm sorry, Maxwell." He said…

Duo felt a cold void closing in as he heard those two words…

"Scarlet's Dead."

Duo closed his eyes, feeling the empty sorrow course through his veins; he gripped his hands, shaking slightly. He had known this sorrow before, the Maxwell Church, when Deathscythe was blown up… Lyla… now Scarlet… his pride and joy in life, the woman he helped to mold. She was so precious to him… so precious…

"No…" he breathed softly, then looked into Kiyoshi's face. 

He had an emotionless mask on; even his eyes were like ice, cold, cruel. Damn him, Duo thought, damn him and those blue eyes of his, those blue eyes that scorn you… he has Heero's eyes - dead eyes. 

"NO!" he cried out, falling to his knees, his hands above his head as he cried out. 

"We're all sorry for your loss, Duo." Lucretzia said softly, trying to break the thick silence after the resounding cry. 

"You can't be sorry! You don't understand… she… she can't die… she can't die… she's the Goddess of Death, you can't… kill what's immortal…" he said softly, then stood

"I… I got to go, I don't feel so great…"

He ran inside, and Kiyoshi meant to follow, to explain… 

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to the eyes of his grandfather. 

"Let him be, Kiyoshi. He's lost something that none of us could ever bare to loose. He really thought that Scarlet was immortal." 

She is grandfather, Kiyoshi thought, she is _my_ goddess…

*~*

Scorpion laughed as he came onto the video screen in every house in every city on every planet and colony, widespread Scorpion TV.

"To the people of Earth, and the Colonies, and Mars. This is the time to unite… under the rule of the final, last Colony, and its leader. My name is Scorpion, the leader of the Scorpio Colony past Mars, and I have my lasers set on each and every colony and major city on Earth. I have mobile suit dolls, and the proof that your precious Preventer organization can not overpower me is obvious. You have no protection, your precious Gundams are no where to be found… I advise you to comply… you have four hours." The screens went dark…

In the Yuy household, the Gundam pilots, both old and new, and down two, stood in shock. Lucretzia looked at Milliardo worriedly then looked at Dorothy. 

The phone rang, making the group jump, Milliardo reached over and picked it up, and with a ferocious growl answered. 

"What is it? Oh… Relena." He said, and handed the phone to his sister. 

"Relena Yuy, yes? Oh… hello Gaston, yes, I saw… yes that was Milliardo. I understand, we'll be there as soon as possible."

She hung up, and turned to the expectant waiters. 

"We are to attend a meeting of the Colony leaders… to discuss terms of surrender."

"No!" Kiyoshi shouted, pounding his fist against the wall. "We CAN'T give up! This… this is all… my fault…" he said; bowing his head, yet he did not cry. 

Relena held her grandson close, and sighed

"You tried, Kiyoshi. Valiantly, but be brave, there will be, another chance." She said softly. 

"Heero, Milliardo, Lucretzia, Dorothy, Quatre, come, we're needed." 

*~*

_And thus, the first battles ended for the New Generation Gundam Pilots… in defeat. Lyla Moore, the creator of the five New Generation Gundams is in the hands of the enemy, the Scorpion, who ruled from the mysterious Scorpion Colony beyond Mars. His two generals, Zechs Marquise and Nicholas Catalonia enforced his laws of peace and order, however loosely. They enjoyed the life of commanding officers, the best of everything. _

Over the month, the colonies and the Earth changed dramatically. The monument to the First Scorpion war was torn away, the statue of the six Gundam Pilots, Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, and Lyla was dismantled. The brass melted down to create the disgusting Victory, a gross image of the Scorpion with people stomped under his boot, the very sign of oppression. 

Without the help of the Gundams, the Scorpion dolls kill off any resistance.

One month has passed since Scarlet has disappeared, seemingly right off the face of the universe. She crash-landed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, near a small, supposable un-inhabited island. However, one person who had not been seen since before Lyla's time lives upon this island, reflecting eternally on the blood red rose, upon his mistakes, and forever tortured by the souls of the people of whose blood stains his aristocrat's gloves. 

*~*

It was a warm day on the islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the sun shone and the trade winds cooled the small island base. The tropical birds sung sweetly their songs in the palm trees as they swayed. 

She lay on a cot in the center of the hospital hut, made of thatched bamboo with a straw roof. The white sheet covered her to the top of her chest, which was bound in medical tape. Her red braid matted as it was, drifted off the pillow and to the floor. Her eyes were closed; a pair of repaired glasses lay at the medical table to the side. Over her, holding his watch, was the man who found her.

He had bright blue eyes, intelligent and cunning, reflecting his fine education and his battle genius. He wore no fancy blue jacket, no black shining boots; there were no roses, no white kid gloves. His hair had gone gray; his eyebrows raised in suspicion, he knew the suit that the girl had flown, was that of his old enemies, the Gundams, but he, the former leader of the armies who had tried to destroy the Gundams, felt no ill will to this redheaded child. 

Treize Kushrenada looked upon the sleeping beauty that lay before him, then stood and walked out of the "hospital". 

He had been living alone on the island after the cockpit to the Tallgeese II had crashed here in AC 195. He had not known of his daughter's conquest, fueled by Dekem Barton's evil ways, nor of the Scorpion who even now as he walked the worn jungle path just outside, took over the colonies and the Earth. 

He glanced up at the sapphire sky above, dotted here and there with feathery white clouds. The girl had been in a comatose slumber for nearly the entire time; she had awoken only once screaming in fear, calling for "Mr. Maxwell". He vaguely remembered the name of Maxwell appearing on a report from space on a captured Gundam pilot. 

"So, my sleeping beauty was trained by the second Gundam Pilot. I wonder exactly how long it has been since I have last seen my dear friend, Milliardo. I wonder if he knows how sorrowful I felt that day, the day of the battle that ended Treize Kushrenada. How funny it would be, if this were Duo Maxwell's daughter. I wonder if Lieutenant Noin had married Milliardo? So many questions, yes… I have waited years to know, and I can wait for this rose to blossom, for this sleeping bud to bloom into glory. Perhaps… perhaps it is time I return to society. I wonder what Lady Une is up to…"

Treize turned around as he heard a soft moan from the hut, and he ducked back inside. The girl was sitting up, holding her head in her hands. She looked fragile, sitting there with all the tubes. Her bangs moved in the tropical breeze. 

"Hello there." The strange man said to her, taking a step closer. She reached over, and felt out her glasses. She slipped them on, ignoring a crack through a lens, and looked at the stranger before her. 

He once was very elegant, she thought. He now wore a simple gray shirt and a pair of what may have been suit pants. She pulled the sheet over her self, her face turning bright red.

"May I ask your name, my lady?" he asked courtly, 

"S… Scarlet… who are you?" 

"My name is Treize Kushrenada." He said softly. He had not talked to another person since he had talked to Chang Wufei in space, and a lady since last speaking to Lady Une… his name sounded strange to his own ears. 

"Wait… Kushrenada? You mean the leader of OZ?" she asked, her eyes opened wide. 

"Yes, I was the leader of OZ… could you possibly tell me what year it is?" 

"The… year? Uh… last time I checked it was still 255, but been out so long…"

"A month." 

"Really? A MONTH? I… I have to contact Kiyoshi! And Basim! And Max! And Lian!" 

"Who are they? Your fellow pilots?" 

"No… wait… yes… oh shit!" she cried out, her eyes full of terror. 

"What's wrong?" Treize asked, drawing back. Scarlet went pale…

"Kiyoshi… Max, Basim, Lian… if they haven't followed me yet… the Scorpions… they must have… oh no…" she closed her eyes and held her hands to her face, taking off her glasses. 

"I'm sorry, Scarlet… this is so much so soon…"

"No, I can handle it… I'm OK… I'm OK…" she said softly, and glanced up at Treize. 

"Do you have any thing I could use to repair my Gundam?" she asked bleakly…

Treize smirked slightly, and the eighty-four-year-old stood stiffly. 

"You put on some clothes, then, m'lady, and I will bring you to where you can repair your Gundam." He said, stood, and left the small room with the use of a bamboo cane. 

*~*

Scarlet sighed, as she stood outside in the bright sunlight, blinking, and her eyes un-used to the rays of the once familiar sun. She turned to the ocean, and saw the head and part of the chest of Bran sticking out… 

"Oh wow…" she breathed softly, looking at the wreckage. 

The vibrant eyes of Bran now lay dim. The waves lapped at the black colored Gundanium, and she could tell part of the left arm was missing. 

"It was a terrific wreck, I was surprised you were alive when I got out there. You must be as tough as the past Gundam pilots." Treize said softly, coming behind her. She rubbed her ribs slightly 

"I must have passed out in re-entry…" she turned to her savior, her eyes saddened "You wouldn't happen to have a mobile suit reconstruction area would you?" she asked. Treize smiled slightly at her. 

"Follow me." He said, and led Scarlet to an overgrown path. Scarlet followed, her curiosity getting the best of her as she wandered after the former leader of OZ. There was a huge metal door at the end of the path. 

The door was covered with vines and other tropical plants; rust covered the thing entirely. Scarlet's eyes widened, then her brow raised. 

"What's this… uh… gee I don't know what to call you." She said, rubbing the back of her bruised neck. 

Kushrenada thought a moment, once re-living his past glory. 

"I don't think 'Your Excellency" describes me any longer, and Mr. Treize, as Lady Une once called me is, I believe, too formal for friends. Please, just feel free to call me Treize, Scarlet." He said softly.

Scarlet nodded… and Treize went and opened a smaller door to the side, stepping inside to the gloom. Scarlet followed him, blinking again in the sudden darkness. 

A bright light blared to life, and Scarlet gasped. Inside the building… a hangar… was a repair station for OZ mobile suits! It had Leo, Aires, Cancer, Pisces, everything!

"Do you think you can repair your mobile suit on this, Scarlet?" he asked, leaning hard on the bamboo cane. 

Scarlet turned, looking over her shoulder through her glasses. 

"I think I can work with this." 


	11. Memories and a Peice to the Puzzle

ngg11

Kiyoshi sighed as he ran a hand through his hair; things were actually too quiet for him since Scarlet left. He had gotten occasional mails from the others, who had gone back to their respective colonies. 

Heero and Kiyoshi remained on L1; Heero quietly plotted against the Scorpion while Kiyoshi whiled away the hours working on Raidon, trying to repair it. He could envision Scarlet standing behind him. 

"Aw look at Kiyoshi trying to fix his toy, why duncha lemmie help ya?" as she handed him the right tool for the job - she was pretty handy with the Gundams. 

Trowa and Max had returned to the Circus, Max a little sadder. Trowa silently understood, he too had watched comrades die. They had returned to their work without words of explanation, as was their way. 

The Winner family had also returned, Basim and Quatre had gone back to managing the Winner fortune, though Basim was a little sorrowful over the loss of Scarlet. She had been a good friend… and since they lost… he probably wouldn't see his friends often. 

Chen Lian and Chang Wufei had returned to the L5 colony grudgingly. He ran his hand over his hair as he sat in the abandoned Preventers precinct, at the desk of his trainer while Wufei gathered the belongings he had left in the office.

No one could believe that Scarlet was really gone, and that the war was over after the first battle…

*~*

The redhead with the neat French braid looked out the window, holding her purse in her lap. She wore a fine green velvet dress with long sleeves as she looked at the English countryside. Her glasses reflected the light over her freckled Irish face, pale and graceful. 

The elder man with the cane opened his eyes as he looked at her, so innocent and so child-like… and so trusting of the man who had saved her life. He smiled softly. 

"What are you looking at, Nicole?" he asked. 

The girl he had called Nicole turned, and smiled as she leaned back against the seat. 

"Admiring the country… I grew up in the city so I have never seen so much open space first hand. It's amazing, and it's so beautiful…" she turned back to the window, smiling. 

"Besides, Grandfather Treize, I've never been to Earth before…"

*~*

Nicole and her grandfather came to the stop in London, Great Britain. They stepped off the train, Nicole marveling at the space and train port, glancing curiously around as she held her suitcase, her eyes stared in wonder through her glasses. She paused, looking around in awe at the grand station.

The grandfather turned, and raised one of his slightly forked eyebrows, then sighed. 

"Nicole, really. If you must stop and look at everything, shouldn't we get to the hotel first?" Treize Kushrenada smiled slightly at the teenager, and chuckled. 

Nicole turned and smiled, blushing a little

"Sorry, Grandfather, it's just that I've never…"

"Been to earth before, yes, yes I know, but Nicole, if you act like a tourist, that is what you will be treated as."

"But if I act like what I am, will I not be feared?" she smiled as she caught up to him. "Don't worry about me, 'Grandfather'. I can take care of myself… I'm a big girl now." 

She walked beside him, still looking around in awe. Treize studied her expression, one of child-like wonder. 

Yes, like all of the Gundam Pilots, she carries with her the innocence that comes with youth… by the end of this war; will she have lost it? Have it be shattered from the blood that might stain her hands? 

Treize thought a long while, until he felt a small, shy hand on his arm 

"Grandfather, the carriage is waiting…" the girl smiled slightly at him, and he smiled in return. 

If this is how the Gundam Pilots feel with their grandchildren… let me keep her always.

*~*

Duo sighed as he dropped his bag in the empty apartment; he was lucky to get it back. He strode across the echoing living room, glancing to the two well-worn seats where he would often sit reading the paper and Scarlet would read to him from a little book when she was very young. As she aged, she would read the paper herself; she liked to keep up on things. She had only a few, passing relationships with people outside her "home". 

The old man sighed as he ran a hand through his bangs, a habit that Scarlet herself had inherited. He looked around the living room, and picked up a picture from one of the tables, brushed it off and looked at it. 

A recent picture of Scarlet, with her long braid and wild brows, she was at the helm of a speed boat they had rented to go on the reservoir. She was leaning against it, pretending to go fast, the wind in her hair helped that illusion. He closed his eyes. 

"Hey, Mr. Maxwell! Check this out!" she had laughed as she got the water board onto her feet, and started hopping around on the dock 

"Hey c'mon, save that for the water, Scarlet!" he grinned as he threw a hand full of iced tea powder at her, she laughed as she took off her glasses. 

"Ooh you're mean Mr. Maxwell!" 

"I'm a mean, mean person, but then again the God of Death has to be nice a couple times in his life…"

She rolled her eyes as she jumped into the water

"Mr. Maxwell we'd better hurry if we don't want to get caught by the pigs!"

"Scarlet, they are fine law enforcement officers of high caliber… until it comes to enforcing the law."

"Hey, Mr. Maxwell?" 

"Yeah?" 

She got a slightly scared look, the look of a child. 

"Promise me you'll be there for me as long as I live, ok?" 

Duo chuckled, then his face became a little sorrowful. 

"I'm the God of Death, you kidding? I have to train my protégé, I can't leave until I've taught ya all I know." 

"Is it very much? I thought you had a rather small brain Mr. Maxwell!" 

He growled, and set the picture back on the table… he walked into his room, and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes… 

"YOU GOT MAIL" 

Duo blinked… he had left the computer on? Damn Wufei… he must have left the volume up… 

He sighed as he sat up, he suddenly felt very, very old. He moved his hand to the mouse, and clicked… 

Duo;

Scarlet OK may return home soon have bran is repaired love you bye

Duo smiled, he didn't have to have the signature, and he knew whom it was from. 

Scarlet was safe… she would come home someday. 

Duo smiled, and for the first time in what to him seemed like ages, he laughed. 

*~*

"Mr. Winner, you have a video call." Quatre's secretary said over the intercom 

"Yes, yes pull it up on the main screen." Quatre entered. He wasn't ashamed that Basim and James were playing with Flopsy on the floor of the office, he actually considered it quite cute…

Duo's face filled the screen- or rather part of Duo's face - namely his nostril. 

"Duo, considering your age…" Quatre rolled his eyes. Duo laughed as he pulled away. 

"Yeah, yeah Quatre. Anyway… oh hi James, Basim, any hoo, guess what?" 

"You found us a good deal on interplanetary transport within the Sweepers again, Duo?"

"Nah, better… Scarlet's alive!"

Quatre looked sympathetic. 

"Duo, really I think that being 'The God of Death' has gone to your head over the last fifty years…" 

Duo now rolled her eyes. 

"I got an E-mail from her." He interrupted. "She's alive, she's found some help and she says for yours and the others' boys to get off their duffs and get their Gundams repaired…"

"By who?"

There was a pause… Duo's eyes opened wide as he glanced over the video monitor… his mouth dropped. 

"By me." Was a simple answer, and a face came into view. It took Quatre a moment to recognize the face… the icy blue eyes, the dark braid; it was no other than. 

"LYLA!" Basim blurted… he knew the face from the message on the Pod Hopper II. 

"Quatre, Basim, spread the word… return to the Pod Hopper II. I know where Scarlet is, I can send one or two of the boys to retrieve her and Bran, but there's going to be a problem…" 

"What's that?" 

"She's getting what she wants… one of your old enemies has become her grandfather. She's getting the attention from a real family, and I'm afraid from what I've seen… it's not good."


	12. Scarlet Explained?/A Dance with Destiney

ngg12

Scarlet lay asleep in her bedroom in what was once the OZ Headquarters, but was now the home of the famed Treize Kushrenada, and his mysterious, alluring granddaughter with the fiery spirit. The grandsons of those of the Treize Faction of OZ who had survived now stood in as Honor Guards, and tonight there was to be a special ball… 

Treize smirked slightly as he looked in on his "granddaughter", seeing she was asleep. She had been horseback riding all day, and well into the sunset. It was dark when she arrived at home. 

Treize smiled, and slowly shut the door, walking to his office, the blue room where Scarlet, a few days before, had asked him if he really had any grandchildren. 

"I don't know…" he had answered. He had leaned back in his chair, and looked at the redhead. 

"But I'm sure I would not want any as daring as you, Scarlet. Though you've quieted down a lot."

She had smirked at this, and walked out. Later, he learned she had tried to set fire to the boathouse because she had seen a rat. Quiet… indeed. 

Treize now sighed as he entered the room, and walked to the largest window, overlooking where the guests were now arriving. 

"Mr. Kushrenada, who's coming to this here she-bang?" He heard Scarlet ask. He looked over his shoulder at the young girl, who was smoothing out the huge skirt of the fancy ball dress; she wore a small, silver circlet, and a pair of contacts. The circlet suspended a teardrop pearl to a little above the middle of her eyes, her freckles showing plainly. The dress itself was white, empire waist draping down. It was almost long enough to touch the floor, but like magic it never did. Her hair, which had been trimmed about a foot, hung down her calves in waves of crimson curls and crimps. Her bright green eyes shone like emerald stars. 

Treize smiled 

"I thought you were sleeping, Nicole." He said softly as he motioned for her to come to the window. 

"Nicole" walked to the window, as it upon glass, and looked out, hoping… hoping for someone she knew. 

She didn't hear Treize name people as she saw one long, pink limousine pull up… she didn't hear him remark about the Queen of Earth as an old man opened the door, and helped and equally old woman out of the car, followed by a variety of people. 

The old man had dark gray hair, and she knew from there that his left leg was injuring long ago from the use of a cane. The woman had lighter gray hair, worn around her head in a crown-like style. 

She smiled as she saw the man close the door and walk in… it would not be hard to avoid two people. 

"Shall we go down to the party, Nicole? There's a few people I would like you to meet."

"Certainly, Grandfather." Scarlet/Nicole said, and together they walked out of the room. 

*~*

Basim looked a little nervous as he stood near Kiyoshi, in the grand hall where the ball was taking place. It was decorated… everywhere… with red roses. 

The blonde pilot sneezed, and drew a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his nose. 

"Ill, Basim?" Heero said, looking down at the young pilot. 

"Uh… no sir… dust." 

Heero nodded. 

"They should be coming down the main stairwell… Scarlet would probably recognize one of us… let's split up. Kiyoshi, you and Basim flank opposite sides of the stairwell, Quatre, you and Dorothy take an outward position, make sure you can see the stairwell to the left, I will take Relena and take the outward position on the right. Be careful, Treize may have something planned."

"Oh, a reunion and we weren't invited to join you? Heero Yuy, how rude."

Heero looked over his shoulder as an old woman, not yet bent with age and still with a red tint to her hair walked in, accompanied by a woman whose stiff military background gave her an equally stiff backbone. Standing strait and without the use of a cane, she was garbed in a red uniform similar to the one she wore in the service of OZ. 

"Mariemaia Kushrenada and Lady Une." He said softly… Relena turned, narrowing her eyes at Mariemaia. 

It had been years since this grouping had seen each other, and everyone felt the tension in the air. 

"I came here to see my Father's new little stooge, if she is indeed his granddaughter than will have a few words with him!"

Lady Une sighed "I have come from orders of "his Excellency" the Scorpion. Ever since the Preventers were disbanded, many of us were recruited into the service of Scorpio."

Heero nodded, then turned as the trumpets sounded. 

"Damnit!" he swore softly. 

*~*

Scarlet kept her gaze steadily ahead, not wanting to see any of the people around the staircase, she knew that Heero would be there… she didn't want him to recognize her. Her hand was gently looped around Treize's elbow; her grip faltered a moment. 

"Are you all right, Nicole?" her Grandfather asked, his gloved hand going to hers. 

"I'll be fine, grandfather, a bit of nerves, that's all…" 

He nodded, and continued down the staircase. 

The pair reached the bottom, in the midst all the clapping dimmed by thick cotton gloves, Scarlet could feel herself getting dizzy

_Pull up Scarlet, pull up!_

I can't this time, Mr. Maxwell… help me! Help me Mr. Max…

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to present to you my granddaughter, Nicole Kushrenada."

People clapped more, Scarlet felt her consciousness straiten out, and she curtsied courtly to the people 

"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, everyone." She said prissily. 

Kiyoshi looked stunned, that could NOT be Scarlet… yes she had freckles, but her face was thinner, she wore no glasses, she was wearing a gown - not a dress but a gown, and she wasn't insulting anyone!

Basim blinked in disbelief 

"If that's Scarlet I'm a camel's father." He said

"Well then, Mr. Kushrenada, good form. Coming public with an exotic liaison and bringing back a daughter. Well, tell me, where are the child's parents?"

Every head turned suddenly at the thin, wicked voice… a thin, pale man stood there, flanked by his two commanding officers, Nicholas Catalonia and Milliardo Peacecraft the Third. They were dressed in the Scorpio red and black, and his eyes narrowed cruelly at the young redheaded woman.

Nicole stepped forward, her eyes cold and hard as diamonds. 

"My parents are dead, thank-you-very-much, they died in a canoe accident at sea when they were fishing! How dare you challenge my grandfather's words!"

"And how dare you challenge that of your emperor! Get down upon your knees, Woman, before I _make _you!"

"Excuse her, your Excellency, she has recently returned from a dismal ordeal, her parents died recently and she is still not over their deaths. Please, this is a momentous occasion, our return to the civilized world. Nicole, apologize to your emperor." 

Nicole winced, then nodded, she curtsied

"I apologize, I did not mean to offend you, sir." 

"Hn." The skinny man replied, and with a wave of his hand dismissed the two officers by him. They grinned at each other, and walked away calmly from their trainer… towards Nicole. 

Nicole rolled her eyes as they approached; Grandfather Treize had left to talk to someone, and she was left defenseless. 

"So, Scarlet, how you been?" Zechs asked as he drew near with a toss of his blue hair

"I… I beg your pardon?" Nicole blinked a few times, and backed away "I… I don't know what you're talking about? Who is Scarlet?" 

"Aw c'mon Red, cut it out. You know you can't play around us… you are wanted as a criminal, you know. Gundam Pilot and all… why don't you tell us where your mobile suit is so we can just destroy it?" 

The redheaded teenager blinked, confused a moment. 

"Mobile Suit? I've never even seen one - save in a history book." Nicole looked distraught as the music began to play. 

Nicholas Catalonia smiled 

"My friend, that is no way to treat a lady." He drew a rose from one of the bouquets at the side and offered it to the lady in the white dress. 

"A rose, for a beauty as yourself. It would be an honor to have this dance, m'lady." He bowed… Nicole smiled, pleased, and nodded. Nicholas took her hand and began to dance with her, pulling her to the side. 

"So, do you like living here, Nicole?" he asked softly, his eyes full of concern for her well being. 

"Yes, Grandfather is very kind to me, and the guards around have become my friends." She said softly answering him… 

"And how is your dog, Bran?" 

"I… don't have a dog named Bran." She said… she felt Nick squeeze her hand tightly

"Now, let's not be a liar, "Nicole", or else we'll have to make a visit to Scorpio…"

*~*

"Yes… she is my daughter." Mariemaia said softly, gazing at Nicole Kushrenada dancing with Nicholas Catalonia. 

"How do you know, Mariemaia?" Heero said, turning to her. 

"Many years ago, to ensure the continuation of the Kushrenada line, Dekem Barton secured an egg from me, and invitrofertilized it. My guess is it went into embryo storage, and was given to a surrogate mother. The mother abandoned her, and somehow she found her way to my father. She obviously has the Kushrenada traits. Her eyes are the same as mine, and her nose bares much semblance to Dorothy's, don't you think?" 

"Duo, are you getting all of this… Duo?" Quatre asked, speaking softly into the microphone worn on his collar. 

*~*

Lyla sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, and picked up the mic on her end. 

"We got that Quatre, I don't know where Miss Kushrenada got the idea that Scarlet is HER daughter, but I don't think it's true."

"Why not?" 

"Easy. Scarlet wouldn't have Dorothy's nose, Dorothy's only related through marriage to the Kushrenada line - unless she's saying one of Dorothy's children is her father." 

"Got it… that would be a scary thought…"

"Yeah, then she'd be related to you."

Duo chortled 

"THAT would be a laugh!" 

*~*

The Scorpion smirked… he could still hear those words over fifty years ago that Lyla Moore had said to him… 

_It's over, Dr. Malcolm. You can not manipulate me any more; I refuse to work for you._

But my dear, it will be a very, very long time before I will need anyone else… all I needed was your mother, now all I need is you. 

No woman of the Lyons family would ever bow down to you! And a woman of the Scorpion Hierarchy line of the Moore would succumb to you!

"How wrong you are… Lyla… how very, very wrong." He mused to himself… then chuckled. 

He looked up and into a pair of Prussian blue eyes… Heero's eyes. 

"Emperor Scorpion, I was not expecting you to attend this evening." He heard the aged Relena say. 

"Well this is Treize's coming out party, it certainly merits some attention from me… after all he may be trying to take over the world again." 

There was a cry of pain, and every head turned to the redhead, the two blonde boys and the skinny one with the moss green hair, who had knocked one of the blondes to the floor. 

"Kiyoshi!" Relena called harshly… then realized what had happened. 

The redhead, Scarlet/Nicole was holding her wrist, her eyes wide with fright. One of the blonde boys, Basim was comforting her slightly as Kiyoshi stood with a battle-ready stance - a little difficult in a tuxedo. 

Nick stood, growling at him… 

"Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a dance?" he asked him through clenched teeth. 

Kiyoshi looked at him calmly, regarding him coolly. 

"Don't you know it's rude to injure ladies you dance with?" he asked him, his intense blue eyes focussing in on him in particular, narrowing out any distractions. 

"Kiyoshi, let's not fight, we don't want to attract too much attention…"

"Little too late for that Basim." Nick answered his cousin. 

Zechs, along with the original Milliardo Peacecraft and Lucretzia Noin Peacecraft walked over

Treize walked over, a scowl on his face followed by the Scorpion who had a nasty grin. 

Nicole ran to Treize, leaning against him, crying out 

"GRANDFATHER!" 

Mariemaia walked over, regarding Scorpion and his two soldiers angrily. 

"I did not see your names on the guest lists, and it is rude to invite yourselves." Treize said, his eyes showing a quiet fury behind them. The three Kushrenada family members stood close, Nicole behind both Treize and his daughter. 

Scorpion scowled, 

"You will regret this, Treize Kushrenada! You will regret returning to civilization!" 

Nicole closed her eyes… and calmed herself. She walked out from between Treize and Mariemaia Kushrenada and walked right up to Scorpion; she could smell the wretched smell of death and decay upon him. She could feel the blackened heart beat inside his chest… because she may be known as Nicole Kushrenada… she may be known as Scarlet Erin… but in truth she was the daughter of Shinigami... she was Shi no Megami-Hime. Her eyes flashed dangerous, the usually peaceful and happy orbs full of emerald lightning. It took a lot to get her angry… and she was pissed! Royally!

"You know what Scorpion? I don't like you, and I may be a woman but I believe in the freedom of speech, and I'm gonna use that freedom right now!

"You wanna know what I think of you? You're some rotten old geezer who can't get a woman because he…"

"Nicole!" Treize looked horrified at what his granddaughter was saying. 

"And… if you EVER come near ANY of my family… well, let's just hope you have a will signed to these two cronies right here. There won't be enough left of ya to have a funeral after I'm finished…" Scarlet lowered her head, and mummered just soft enough that no one else around could hear… Scorpion couldn't tell if it was her voice in his ear or her thoughts in his head

"And that, my friend, is a Maxwell promise!"


	13. 

ngg13

Mariemaia and Lady Une sat in chairs in the basement of the Kushrenada stronghold, a little stunned. Treize himself sat behind a worn desk. 

Scarlet had changed from her formal wear back to a pair of black slacks, going back to her glasses over her contacts ("they made my eyes itch!"). She was wearing a black tank top, as she hung suspended upside-down working on the wing joint of Bran, her somewhat shorter braid not even going near the ground.

"So… you really are a Gundam pilot then?" Mariemaia asked, looking a little shocked at the massive Gundam Bran. 

"Yeah, I am." She answered. They had asked her that question four times all ready. She was getting bored. 

"Treize, why didn't you tell us that Mariemaia's daughter was a Gundam Pilot?" Lady Une asked, turning to the man at the desk. 

"Look here, Lady Une, I don't get where you get the idea I'm Mariemaia's daughter, as far as I know my mother was dying of some disease on L2 and left me with my trainer. He raised me like I was his own kid, or well… grandkid I guess, and I fly a Gundam. Big whoop." 

"It is to me! I will have no daughter of mine pilot one of those things! You could get hurt!"

Scarlet pushed against the leg of Bran, spinning her around halfway. She hung, swaying back and forth with a thoughtful look on her face, her braid swinging following her head

"Well… let me put it this way. Do you know what Shi no Karasu, or Shi no Megamihime means?" 

Mariemaia looked stunned a moment 

"Those are Japanese, aren't they?" 

"Yeah, well Shi no Karasu means "Raven of Death". That's my Gundam here, Bran. Shi no Megamihime is me, the Princess Goddess of Death. Which means you don't have to worry about me. Now, if you excuse me, I have wars to win, Mobile Suits to fly, and an emperor to kill." 

"Nicole!"

"My name is Scarlet Erin Maxwell, Mariemaia Kushrenada, SCAR-LET ER-IN MAX-WELL." She pronounced it, loud and clear. "I'm not Nicole Kushrenada, I'm not your daughter. I'm sorry if you thought I was, but I'm not. I need to get out of here, or else I will turn into Nicole Kushrenada… and if I do that then I don't know what I'll do. I don't have much family to protect, so I'm protecting everybody's families. If I end up dying… well that's too bad ain't it? If I end up killing people who are against me, that's also too bad, but it has to be done. But if Scorpion goes on killing innocent people like he's been doing, then that's me lacking in my duties. I'm a Gundam Pilot, and I'm trying to do what I do best. Beat back evil." 

"Killing people? We haven't heard…"

"It's on the computer by Treize…" there was a beep… "Treize, are you playing my Space Invaders game?" 

*~*

Lyla sat at a computer console in a van, a gigantic pair of earphones to her head. Her eyes closed as she concentrated… 

"Are the boys ready with their Gundams?" she asked, lifting the headphones off her head. 

"Yes." Heero said, looking at the monitors in the very cramped van. There were five of them, each with a number under them. 01 had Kiyoshi, poised for battle inside his Gundam Raidon, his eyes closed and his breathing slow. 03 showed Max, calm as ever staring patiently ahead, his thoughts anyone's guess. 

Basim was showing in Monitor 04, his goggles over his eyes. He, like Kiyoshi, had changed from the tuxedos to their regular clothes, and everyone was waiting… waiting. 

Lian sighed in his monitor, completely bored. He ran a hand over his hair and scowled slightly, wondering when the battle would begin. He was anxious. 

"Do you think Scarlet will come…?" Duo asked softly, wrapping his arms around Lyla's shoulders, he remembered when they were young how he had often done the same thing when she was working. She slipped her fingers into his hand, grasping it gently. 

"I hope so… the Raven Gundam Bran should be the key in this victory… I know the Scorpion dolls have a weakness to the Raven Wave."

"What's that?" 

"Oh… well you know how Bran's weapons are charged through his hands?"

"Uh…. Yeah I remember."

"Well, the electromagnetic pules emitted through the plates in the hands which the plates on the weapons convert into the electroplasimic energy needed to operate the plasma powered Beam-Scythe/Sickles or the Bran Buster Beam Bow when NOT converted by the weapons is damaging to mobile suits without the specific type of armor which is specific only to the New Generation Gundams."

"Uh… in Lame-man's terms, Lyla?" Duo asked, rubbing his head a little. 

"The Bran Death Wave is a pulse from the hands that kills of Scorps. Better?" 

"You should have said that in the first place, Lyla. That way Duo would understand." Heero said nonchalantly, leaning heavily on his cane. 

"Blah! Heero! That's just not nice!" Duo said, sticking his nose in the air. 

Lyla blinked, then her face became concerned

"This is base to Raidon, over." She said softly. 

"Raidon, what's wrong?" 

"Kiyoshi… Bran isn't responding. Something's gone wrong." 

*~*

Mariemaia looked up at a small siren… 

"Nicole, I mean… Scarlet… what's wrong?" she asked, glancing at the redhead. Lady Une and Treize glanced up from the map they were studying. 

Scarlet narrowed her eyes. 

"Scorpion's keeping his vows… you know I kinda like it when a man's honest. Unfortunately I never lie myself." She smirked as she pulled a black cap over her forehead, and grabbing a hold on the lead rope to Bran. She started to sing softly

"Now it's time to say goodbye, to all my 'fam-i-ly' G, O, O… oh why oh why… D B Y… I don't exactly know E N O W."

With a short bow, the capped Goddess of Death took her seat in the cockpit. Mariemaia sighed as the hatch closed; she looked at Treize Kushrenada, and realized something. She was seeing her father, in person, for the first time. She shook her head, and turned to Lady Une who had been her foster mother after the Mariemaia army was disbanded. 

"Lady Une, do you think we'll see her again?" she asked, looking back to the Gundam. 

Lady Une smiled slightly though her glasses. 

"Yes, Mariemaia Kushrenada, I do believe we'll see her again - after all she's a Gundam Pilot, and most of us have a bad habit of running into them." 

*~*

Scarlet looked on the monitors as they switched on from right to left, her fingers unconsciously pressing putting, starting it, arming weapons systems, warming up the venire engines. She looked into the monitor up front, the one that swung out to let her exit the cockpit.

They were looking up at the Gundam in almost awe. 

"Are they scared of me…? Mr. Maxwell, I know now you're gone, you didn't come to the party… I know you would have if you were alive. I miss you… Mr. Maxwell. I still need you to guide me." She closed her eyes, sliding her hands around the joystick controls, and slipping her feet into the pedals. 

She saw a slight smirk on Treize's face… a smirk of revenge? Too late to think now, it's time to battle. 

"You might wanna head upstairs, I'm planing on getting out of here real quick like. The flames from this thing can get quite hot… as in you're skin would melt?" 

_What a pleasant picture you paint._ Something said to her. Scarlet blinked… then turned off the outboard comm. 

"That you, Bran? 

_No. Yes. Trust me. _

Scarlet winced helplessly… something was wrong with her beloved suit, but there was no time to run a diagnostic now. 

As soon as the trio had cleared out… she pressed her left foot to the pedal, and pushed the pedal to the floor. The sudden burst of power pressured her head as Bran shot out of the hangar, taking the form of the Raven, the two "blades" of her scythe/sickles turning into the beak, the dober guns on the shoulders sticking out menacingly. After all, Death's Dark Horse has to be intimidating. 

And deep in the back of her mind, she felt something… something evil laughing at her.

*~*

"Stop here, Zephyr. We'll send the dolls ahead." Came the message from Destroyer, and Zechs. 

Nick smirked 

"Aw c'mon Zechs, let's go have some fun, we'll take the Raven Gundam, take the girl, have some fun then turn them both over to Scorpion." 

"Nick! You have one sick mind, you know that?" 

"Yup, you bet Peacecraft. C'mon don't tell me you don't think about it…"

"Not with an enemy and certainly not without the consent of the lady! Honestly, Nick…"

"Shut up, maintaining radio silence." 

The Scorpion duo laughed… another battle to win.

*~*

_Who are you? What are you doing inside me? Where is Scarlet?_

Scarlet is gone, I am your new pilot. 

I ask again, WHO ARE YOU?

My name is none of your concern. I am the new pilot of this mobile suit. I will destroy you unless you obey my orders. 

Like hell I will! I bend to no one's will. 

That's so like you, Heero, to build a computer system that could battle me. Or was it Zechs? Well, you shall not win. Not against me.

Neither Heero Yuy nor Zechs Marquise constructed me. You know nothing about me. Leave my system at once. Scarlet… SCARLET don't go out to battle!

She can't hear you, Bran. I am in control now. And what's worse for you five Gundam Suits… I'm spreading. 

*~*

Scarlet flew to the battlefield, going as slow as she could, waiting until her monitors picked up something. She was worried about Bran, but she pushed that to the back of her mind as she saw mobile suits coming - Scorpio Dolls. 

Scarlet growled as she spun the Raven-mode Gundam around, reaching up and pulling the lever forward to command it to go into the Warrior-form. The beak, made of the two scythe blades went out and folded against Bran's back again, the wings went back into a dark angel's. The two sickle blades fell into Bran's hands, and seemed to glow a brighter green… then went out.

"What… what's happened to you, Bran?" she asked, and typed something in to the monitor… the ultra jammers were still on, Bran wasn't being picked up, reactor levels normal. She looked up at the screen as a new window opened on the main monitor… she looked into the inky blackness… then turned as both the monitors to the side winked out… 

"Bran…?" she asked, a little scared now… "C'mon Bran don't do this… Bran… he's… not here!" she yelled in frustration. 

"What are you? You aren't Bran! Get out! Get the hell out!" 

"You, Scarlet, are a weak pilot. Your battle skills are below all of the others; that is why they abandoned you. They don't need you. I will not be piloted by a weak woman!" whispered a voice in her head, hissing softly… sounding much like Mr. Maxwell's voice. 

"No…" she whispered… "No. I'm… I'm not weak! I'm a Maxwell… you're lying!" she bowed her head… "Bran… have you too killed me?" she said… then looked up. "Bran would never betray me! Get out of my Bran!"

There it was, the horrible, evil laughter deep in the back of her mind… the screens of the monitors blinked on, and the face of another Gundam appeared, a black and maroon…

"Epyon…" Scarlet whispered, not believing it. 

Spiraling, she felt herself falling into oblivion. 

She threw her head back and screamed. 

*~*

Basim blinked as he sliced through a doll, seeing an un-familiar blip on the edge of the screen, the ID on it was BRAN…

"Kiyoshi!" he said into the comm "Scarlet's here… but something's wrong, she's not coming!" 

"She's probably afraid to fight, coward!" Lian growled, the double dragon claws on Shen-Li took out three dolls with the flamethrowers. 

"No, something is wrong, Bran isn't responding… damnit, I can't take any of you out of the fight… just destroy the enemy I'll try and get through to Scarlet." Lyla's voice came over the comm system.

"Roger that, Lyla." Kiyoshi said… and the battle raged on as he sliced a doll in two. 

*~*

"You and I make a great team, Mr. Kushrenada." Said a slimy, slithering voice, the voice of the Scorpion, there was a cruel chuckle accompanying the voice. 

Treize said nothing, but held a glass of wine in his hand, not looking at the window at the battle beyond the boundaries of his property. He couldn't bear to think he had put a program of his Gundam, his brainchild, into his dear Nicole's mobile suit. He closed his eyes, thinking of the time on the island… 

*~*

_She had seemed to innocent, the very blossom of youth, yet there she was attaching antique LEO and AREIS parts to the massive, black-and-gray Gundam with the glowing eyes. She was sitting on the shoulder, a palm-pilot like computer in her hand, she went over it with a pen thing, and frowned slightly. _

The aged Treize Kushrenada walked along the catwalk, the height making him a little dizzy. He looked at the frown that Scarlet wore on her face. 

"Is something the matter, Scarlet?" 

"The grasping mechanism isn't fitting in right, I may have to build that from scratch." She explained to him, glancing up. The light caught in her glasses, held together with a mixture of gauze and glue, reflecting on the worn blue coat of Kushrenada. 

"Oh." He said, and knelt down looking into the girl's face. That's all she really was barely sixteen and already involved in a deadly war… lost it, lost any chance for a cultural humanity…

No, she wasn't lost at all… simply… misplaced. 

"Scarlet, I was thinking, when you do return to the… outside world, you would look rather odd without an adult guardian, would you not?" he asked softly, looking down into her face. 

Scarlet thought for a moment, then nodded. 

"Yes, I probably would, great idea Mr. Treize!" she smirked as she stood, balancing precariously on the shoulder and wing joint of the massive mobile suit she called Bran. 

"May I recommend something to you, Scarlet? I would recommend you play the part of my Granddaughter, a sort of act in a play... surely you have seen plays?" 

"Yea, living on L2 there wasn't much, but I did try to make a lot of the big, old Broadway shows… The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables… my favorite was always Phantom of the Opera though, I wanted to be Christine so badly when I was younger… Mr. Maxwell always told me I'd be nothin' but a freckle-face redhead tomboy, then laughed, hugged me, and told me I could be whatever I wanted to be." She brushed a few strands of her bright red hair from her face, and smiled. 

"I really miss him, Mr. Maxwell I mean. He was a great friend…" 

"Yes, there is a friend I miss as well, though he is long dead I suppose… I had heard once, over the radio he had been killed in the same battle as I had. 

"Who? Maybe I've heard of him!" Scarlet smiled as she leaped easily to the catwalk, stretching. 

"Zechs Marquis, or Milliardo Peacecraft. I don't suppose you've heard…"

"HEARD of him? Heck, he only practically killed me over something that I did at his school… I mean… well…" she blushed, rubbing the back of her head. 

"Why? What did you do?" Treize smirked softly. 

"Well… I flooded the girl's bathroom using cherry bombs…"

*~*

Treize was bought back to reality by the news that his virus had worked, and the Raven Gundam Bran had left the battlefield… 

"You have done a great service to your Emperor, Treize Kushrenada. Or may I call you, Lord Treize?" 

"I have done something without honor, and yet you try to honor me with the role of playing a Lord in your despicable army. How could I have bought myself to betray those who have bought me to light, to the realization that my isolation has only been harming myself? Someone who took me under her wing and cared for me, though to others it seemed the other way around? No, no Scorpion; I will not be a lord of this horrible, terrible world you have created."

"In that case, You may have made the right decision, Treize, only time will tell." Scorpion said, turning back to the window. 

Treize Kushrenada sighed, and closed his eyes, picturing her delight at the single opera they had attended in London, the fateful day she actually adopted the persona of Nicole Kushrenada. 

She had smiled at him, the sweet smile of innocence and love, and the joy of being loved… the smile of a child. The simplicity of a child's mind, combined with the cold instincts of a killer. He had vowed then to brush Scarlet Erin away, and leave just Nicole. 

He had just now, seeing his plan carried out, realized how wrong he had been. Certainly, she had the mind of a child, a young girl beginning to discover herself, for who she is, but she did not have the coldness of a killer. She fought with the grim determination knowing that for peace, she would kill, but she would not kill needlessly. 

And now he has killed both the childlike Scarlet Erin and his dear Nicole Kushrenada. 


	14. Lost and Found

As suddenly as they had come, the Scorpions and their Dolls had left the battle, leaving four confused pilots, and six very puzzled, and scared, former pilots. 

"All units report, damage status." Lyla's voice hummed into the communicators of the pilots inside their Gundams. 

"This is Raidon, left arm damaged, presently at 95 per-cent." 

No Bran responded. 

"This is Blaze, 20 per-cent of ammunition is left, main camera operating at 80 percent."

"Faris reporting in, no damage sustained." 

"This is Shen-Li, damage to both Dragon claws, DC right operating at 60 percent, DC left operating at 75 percent."

"Anyone see which way Bran was heading?" Lyla asked. She had a few drops of sweat on her cheeks, mingling with tears of Fear. Scarlet wasn't supposed to fly a Gundam, let alone Bran, a most dangerous of machines if handled wrong…

"Up?" Duo suggested, looking over her shoulder. She glared at him, and sighed. 

"Geez, sorry Lyla… didn't know you cared so much about… hey how'd you know about Scarlet anyway?" 

"Scorpion told me." She answered, not really paying attention. That answer seemed to shut Duo up for now, as she typed in something on the keyboard. 

"All Gundams arrange for rendezvous at Pod-Hopper II, I have something I've found." She said softly… 

Heero glanced over… and the Prussian blue eyes opened wide in horror… 

That pattern, that color… that same screen… that was… EPYON! 

*~*

Deep inside space, a Gundam, black and gray, floated listlessly. Inside, the redheaded pilot garbed in a black tank top and a set of black jeans, covered by her flight suit and helmet, lay her head back, unconscious. 

_I must not surrender myself. _

Why did you turn off the weapons, Bran? Afraid I might blow something up? I'm warning you, I can destroy both you and your pilot. 

On a field of black crisscrossed with glowing green gridlines, a young man appeared, glowing gray. He had the wings of the raven and bore a double-ended scythe. He opened his glowing green eyes. Looking something like young Quatre around the face, with bangs that dangled carelessly in his eyes, but he had Duo's eyes, and Lyla's mouth. The programmed projected image of Bran, as a Human. His wings spread slightly, he spoke yet his lips did not move. 

_What's wrong, Epyon? Afraid to fight me on our own terms? Can you not fight without a pilot? _

Scarlet stirred in her seat… 

_I fear no machine, Bran. I'm actually glad you and I have decided to duel. _

Another young man appeared this one older. His eyes glowed maroon, and though his body was gray he was surrounded by an ugly brown glow. He brought his sword up, spreading leathery wings reminiscent of a dragon.

_Good, then we will duel then… for the control of my Gundanium body._

You are a fool, Bran. You think I don't know what I'm doing?

You are the fool, Epyon…Scarlet, I'm sorry… 

The gray glowing youth closed his eyes, and from there opened the hatch, ejecting Scarlet Erin from the cockpit of the black and gray Gundam. 

_WHAT? _Epyon declared… the gray youth opened his eyes again, a smirk on his face… 

_I knew without your concentration you could not hold me, nor Scarlet. Such as will be the same for her, and your idiot Emperor! For the colonies!_

They leapt at each other, the young boy swinging his scythe with deadly accuracy, once, twice, slashing across Epyon's chest. Epyon leapt back, but a second too late. The second slash caught him full across the chest, knocking him backwards

_Do you not think when I die I will not spread, Bran? Are you that naïve?_

No.

SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED… DETONATION COMMAND COMPLEATE…

Scarlet's eyes opened slightly as she turned in space, reaching out to her Gundam. 

"No… no way. Don't leave me here, Bran! I need you!" she called weakly, her voice a hoarse whisper. 

_I will return Scarlet. I promise. In this world there are things which are and are not needed. You are needed. I am not. Goodbye, goodbye for now, my pilot and my friend._

With a cry of pain in the grid-world of Bran's inner systems, the youth fell to his feet. Epyon backed away. 

_Fool!_

And the world became a swirling mass of blackness once more, for both the protective soul of the Raven Gundam Bran, and for its now lone pilot, floating in space, a body without a mind.

*~*

Kiyoshi, Max, Basim and Lian stood at a Monitor, watching as the Gray and Black Gundam they had been tracking. They looked with horror as the eyes glazed a fiery green, then white… and then to nothing as it exploded. 

Lyla cried out, rushing forward but was held back as Duo wrapped his arms around her. 

"Lyla! Gee I had no idea that mobile suit was so important to you!" Duo said sadly, trying to find the lighter part of this situation… but Scarlet was dead… really dead this time. He closed his eyes and lay his head on Lyla's shoulder. 

"No, Duo… Bran can be rebuilt… but Scarlet can't be rebuilt… too singular, human…" she whispered "I never even…" she shook her head, her hand finding Duo's.

Kiyoshi stood there, his face unchanging, but inside he felt torn apart. 

"I never got to tell her…" he thought, "I never got to tell her that I did care about her… had she lived out the last part of her life believing we hated her?"

*~*

"Look, Manager, we really can't leave now, I mean we have business to take care of…" Trowa started, on the phone to his manager back on L3. 

"I don't care if you have business to take care of, I have bigger business than you, I have a circus to run, and if you and that knife-dodging twit you call a nephew don't get back here in time to show those new trapeze artists around why I'll…"

"Yes, I understand." Trowa sighed, running a hand over the back of his head. He glanced around the "common area" of the Pod hopper II; it was better supplied than the original Pod hopper. 

Basim stood in the mini-arcade area, trying to drown his sorrow with pinball; he was nearing his personal high score when suddenly… BAM! The ball went through the middle of the flippers. 

"Oh no!" he groaned. 

Both Kiyoshi and Heero were playing different games of chess against Lian and Wufei, and both Kiyoshi and Heero were winning games against Lian and Wufei.

Max and Lyla stood in the corner, attempting a fast-paced game of Ping-Pong… it wasn't working. Lyla kept on missing the ball; her face was troubled… as Max went to retrieve the ball Lyla glanced at Duo, worried. 

Duo sat alone, unusually quiet. His brow was furrowed, and his arms crossed stubbornly against his chest. His cobalt blue eyes shone wet with tears from behind the glasses. 

Trowa sighed as he walked over to Duo, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"Duo, perhaps she's not dead. We thought she had died in the first battle, but she came back. She might have escaped the explosion." 

Duo sighed and sat back, slipping his arms around his head. 

"Maybe… but heck I thought I'd be the one to welcome her to the 'other side'." He muttered softly, running a hand through his bangs. 

Lyla walked over and wrapped her arms around Duo's shoulders, hugging the elderly Gundam pilot close to her. 

"Duo, it'll be OK… someday everything will return to normal, and we'll all be happy living together…"

"Yeah, you me… and the kids we never had…"

If only you knew, Duo… Lyla thought… if only you knew

*~*

Author's Note: Sorry about how long it took, but I was deciding where to cut it off without revealing too much. ;) 


	15. The Birth of Raven

"Mama, mama!" a young girl cried out, looking out the window of the shuttle… she pressed her chubby hands to the window, her big, blue eyes growing with surprise. She turned to look at her mother, her dark curls bouncing.

"Yes, Amy, what is it?" The brown-haired woman of perhaps thirty, tall and lean said, turning to the girl. 

"There's a dead body out there, mama!" she cried out, pointing excitedly out the window. 

"Amy…" the woman warned, then looked, to make sure her daughter wasn't telling a lie. She gasped at what she saw. 

It was unmistakable; a young woman dangled there, suspended in space. There was a glint off the painted helmet of the woman, and that's what had caught her daughter's attention. 

"Oh my… Tom! Tomas!" she called to the pilot of the small shuttle, a family shuttle used to move between colonies in search of work. 

"What is it, Amelia?" her husband, a tall, brawny man with a mass of dark, curly hair on his head that came down to his shoulders asked, coming out of the cockpit. 

"Amy found someone's body, but she still looks alive, oh Tomas, go out and get her please? Such a young one…"

A dark-haired young man followed his father from the cockpit. He had a gold earring placed in his left ear, right in the middle on the way up of the outside of the ear. His dark hair fell carelessly into his eyes as he went out. Un-like his parents and sister, he wore a space suit. He was the designated technician on their shuttle, and had to be ready to make repairs to the shuttle as soon as possible. 

"I'll go out and get her, Mother." He smiled as he kissed his mother's cheek, picking up his helmet. 

"Be careful," He slipped out to the air lock, securing his helmet down with a snap of a button. He opened the outer bay doors and taking a "scooter" - a small CO2 powered jet buoy, he stepped out into the cold expanse of space.

It didn't take very long to reach the castaway… but it looked bad. As he drew near and shined a light on the young woman, he could see blood spattered to the face shield of the helmet. His stomach wretched with nausea as he put an arm around her waist… but he could tell she was alive. He could see the thin material over her breasts moving as she breathed. 

He took her into the shuttle, and closed the bay behind him. There was a soft hiss as his family opened the other end, and he took off her helmet. 

"Oh my!" the mother, Amelia, said, reaching for a blanket. She lay it out, and wrapped the girl's cold, near lifeless body in it through the suit. The young boy took off the bloodied helmet of the girl… and gasped. 

Though her face was smeared with her lifeblood, he could see she was pretty. Some of her wavy red hair had strayed from the rolled-up braid on the back of her head, and drifted into her face, held there by dried blood, crusting hard. Her eyes were closed; her lashes caked with the red fluid. She gave a small groan as they lay her back… 

"Blackness… everything is black…" she muttered softly, then fainted away. 

"What happened to her?" the young man asked himself. 

*~*

Mathew sighed as he lifted the heavy trunk out of the baggage compartment of the family shuttle, he knew his father was talking to the manager of the circus, after all they were a family of acrobats, and they were looking for work. Watching him, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a cup of steaming tea in her lap was "the foundling" - the girl they had picked up in space. She hadn't said a word since mentioning blackness, and his mother, Amelia, was scared she had damaged her brain to the point of being useless. 

He looked up at her, the glasses they had found on her had been repaired, the prescription filled as soon as they had reached the colony. Those glasses now lay in her lap as she stared dazed out into space. 

"You could be a little help you know!" he joked to her. 

She looked down on him from on top of a giant crate, and slipped on her glasses. She sipped her tea. 

"I… don't know if I could… lift it." She replied softly, thinking hard about the words. 

"Whoa! You talked!" he blinked, setting down the heavy trunk. The girl nodded. 

"I've been trying to sort out who I am… I'm not quite sure but I think I'm from one of the colonies out here… and there was something about ravens… ravens and death." She shook her head "It's all sketchy details…" 

Mathew smiled slightly. 

"Well, do you have a name yet then?" 

"No…"

"Well… Raven seems to be a good name for you. Raven's are beautiful, intelligent birds, you know." He said, looking down into the hold. 

"In any case, Miss Raven, I'd better get that trunk out of there." Mathew said, jumping off the crate. 

"I'll help!" Raven said, smiling as she too jumped off the crate. 

*~*

Trowa sighed as the cab he had hired pulled in. Max looked at him. 

"You're troubled, Uncle." He said, looking at him "What's wrong?" 

"I'm afraid Duo might try something desperate - like taking Scarlet's place." 

"That'd be madness." Max agreed. 

The manager approached the two men, his face more than a little red. 

*~*

Will and Jon smirked as they spotted Amy, the small blonde girl in the new family of acrobats. She was playing near the animal cages with a doll, all alone. 

"Hey there, little girl!" Will said, the smirk on his face nasty, devious… like a snake. His stringy brown hair fluttered into his head as he walked up at the girl. He loved to torture the little kids. 

Amy glanced up, opening her eyes wide at him. She clasped her doll to her chest. 

"How about giving me that doll, huh? I bet the lion would like it." He smirked. 

Jon, his identical twin smirked. 

Raven looked up from where she sat near the zebra pen, narrowing her eyes. Silently - for her feet seemed to know on their own just how to not make a sound as she approached the boys from behind. She picked up a push broom stick, narrowing her emerald eyes… no one would pick on her adopted little sister. 

"Yeah, ol' King there would just love that doll." 

"Uh-uh! My dolly!" Amy said, backing away. 

"OK kid, let's get this strait, you gimme that doll or I'll…" 

"Or you'll what, bud?" 

Jon and Will turned, and narrowed their eyes at the redhead. 

Her hair, now falling just below her shoulders in a ponytail was held back in a black elastic. She wore a belly-shirt, white in the middle with red on the sides, and spaghetti straps to hold the shell like shirt on. Her green fatigue pants had small heart patches sewn on. She held in her hand the push broom handle, holding it like a quarterstaff in Robin Hood. 

"Amy, why don't you go back to mom for now, OK? I'll meet you back there." Raven said, never taking her eyes off Jon and Will.

"OK." Amy said quickly, turned and ran. 

"Aw, look Jon, Red here spoiled our fun." Will said, smirking as he cracked his knuckles. 

"Let's teach this foundling a lesson, huh Will? Make her see who's the master here."

"Masters? You mean you ain't the dogs that honk those horns? Your faces sure look like it." Raven answered. She spun the staff in her hands. "And if you care to tango, I'll teach you two dogs a couple tricks you won't forget." 

"C'mon, Jon, we gonna let some hobo woman make fun of us?" he smirked, and turned to Raven. 

"So, what's your name, girl? Mine's Will, you'll be screaming it later." 

The redheaded girl smirked, and swung the broom handle around. 

The two young men rushed at her, readying their fists. 

Raven waited… waited… then at the last moment slipped between them, swinging the staff hitting Will in the stomach and Jon in the back, then ducked, swinging her left foot around in a ground sweep, knocking them both to the ground.

Raven stood, leaping back. She smirked as she narrowed her eyes. 

"I told ya, that's lesson number one: Don't mess with me. And lesson number two is don't mess with my family, especially my lil' sister." She said, growling. 

Jon was the first to stand; he smirked slightly, wheezing 

"What? Are you afraid to fight without a weapon?" he gasped. 

Raven threw the stick down in disgust 

"You're hurt. You're really stupid to actually want to continue fighting. Now get the hell outta my face before I pound in yours." She turned and started walking back to the trailer where her new family awaited her.

"Fools…" she whispered softly, "They shouldn't fight if they don't know what they're fighting… but should I fight not knowing whom they're fighting too?


	16. The Basketball Court

ngg16

Max sighed, as he lay in bed in the small trailer he and Trowa had to share. It had taken him three weeks to get back to the Circus. His mind had been drifting back to his fallen comrade, Scarlet. 

He closed his eyes, his mind wandering around his life. He wanted to poke at some of it, and wondered what the rest was exactly about.

He heard a commotion outside. 

"She can't play! She's a girl!" floated the voice of the "strong man's" son, Chris into Max's window. 

"And what the hell does THAT have to do with it? I bet I could beat your butt!"

That voice… annoying yet persistent and… red…

Red?

"SCARLET?" Max blinked, and lifted his head to look out the window. 

There she was… well… someone who looked kinda like her. 

She wore a blue T-shirt over an old pair of jeans that had faded to near white. Her glasses were the same style, and her hair - that was so long that she had to have help sometimes braiding it - was loped off into a ponytail now hanging just above her knees. 

The Acrobat's son, his name was Matt, was holding the ball at his waist, Jon and Will, recovered from falling off something big - but now Scarlet was here Max had his doubts that they fell off anything - were standing to the side, arguing. 

"C'mon Matt, she's a girl, she can't play worth beans." Jon said

"Yeah!" Will agreed, eyeing Scarlet hungrily. 

The redhead rolled her eyes.

Max hurried up and out of bed to go tell Trowa what was going on, if it was Scarlet, there was a lot that needed to be done, like call Duo to tell him his charge was still alive!

*~*

The two Barton men and Matt stood to the side of the vicious argument, at this time Jon was nursing a bloody nose and Will had just been knocked on his rear end. 

"Has she always been like this?" Max asked Matt. 

Matt shrugged. 

"Ah, she's just under a bit of pressure… she's the new trapeze artist."

"WHAT?" Max blinked trapeze artist?

"Yeah, she volunteered. She said she likes the feel of adrenaline." 

Max looked at Trowa. 

Matt sighed as the girl walked over; she didn't even cast another glance at Max and Trowa, but smirked at Matt. 

"Raven, you know what mother said."

"They insulted my honor!"

"Raven…" 

The girl sighed 

"OK, so maybe I'm not the peaceful girl your mom wants me to be, but try all she likes she's not my mom." She said, and turned around, dismissing the whole ordeal with a wave of her hand. "I'm going to go practice. Catch you all later."

Max blinked…

"Oh boy." 

Trowa's eyes narrowed. He tapped Max on the shoulder and motioned to the side. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Matthew. I hope that your family enjoys being at the circus." 

The two Barton men walked off back toward the trailer. 

*~*

The screen near Lyla blinked to life as she gazed thoughtfully at the stars beyond the main monitor of the Pod Hopper Two.

She pressed the ANSWER button

"Pod Hopper, Lyla here." She answered. 

Trowa's face popped up on the monitor. 

"We found her." He said. 

Lyla blinked, and set her mug of tea down… 

"Found who?" 

"Scarlet's alive… but there's a slight problem…"

"She doesn't remember." Lyla said softly. 

"How did you…"

"Error in programming that's all…" 

"Wha…?" 

"We'll be there tomorrow to pick her up, Trowa. Perhaps its time we made the assault on Scorpio." 

"Lyla, I don't understand." 

"You will." She answered, and clicked it off. She reached over, and typed in a few keys. 

"Figures." She whispered, and picked up her mug of tea, sipping it. 

And she could hear a voice somewhere in the distance rejoicing in silence. Just beyond in the shadows, stood a beast of a Gundam. Shoulder mounted laser machine gun, double bladed beam scythe shorters, titanium alloy reinforced gundanium gauntlet shields, Mega Beam Buster Bow… painted the deep black that shone the velvety violet of a raven feather. 

Bran was ready to fight again.


	17. A Single Gunshot

ngg17

"Yay! A circus!" Basim said, laughing slightly. Kiyoshi rolled his eyes and Lian looked uninterested. Lyla had decided to stay back at the Pod Hopper, but had insisted that Heero, Quatre, and Wufei take Duo with them. Duo sighed as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

"What's an old guy like me supposed to do around here?" 

"Watch the trapeze artist." Max said as he came up behind the seven. "When of course the big top opens… though now I recommend the side shows." He continued. Kiyo and Lian nodded, and they and Basim slipped away, Max leaving his uncle Trowa to take care of the adults. 

They entered through a side door and Kiyoshi's eyes grew wide at the sight… 

Scarlet stood there wearing a slightly skimpy suit, black in color with violet sequins in a bird pattern on her chest. She flew through the air, doing aero-acrobatics effortlessly. 

Kiyoshi felt his jaw drop… Scarlet had a pretty nice figure.

*~*

Treize Kushrenada heaved a sigh as he glanced out the window, gazing over the colony; the Emperor had asked him, as well as Lady Une, to attend a circus with him in hopes that it would… cheer his spirits. 

He laughed slightly, and Lady Une, the retired (or, rather, out-of-work) Preventer glanced at Treize.

"What's so humorous, sir?" she inquired.

"I was just thinking of Nicole… brave enough to fly a Gundam… but scared of rats."

Une smirked slightly.

"I heard a different version… if you are talking about the boathouse."

"I am. Go on, I would like to hear it also."

"Well… she didn't try to burn it down. It was one of the guards… he's deathly afraid of rats, and he was going to burn the place to the ground. Scarlet came across him trying to light it, and well… dispatched his idea. As it turned out, she rather likes rats."

*~*

The grouping of Gundam pilots sat together, both old pilots and new as Max and Christine finished up the knife throwing act, Christine in a bright red outfit that nearly mimicked Catherine's. 

"She's very good." Quatre remarked to himself.

Heero glanced over, recalling the month and a half he had spent in Trowa and Catherine's care.

"Let's just hope for Max's sake… that she makes better soup." He thought dismally to himself.

Duo grumbled about food, and said the word "Scarlet" in it, so Wufei, who was sitting next to him, decidedly thought that Duo believed that Scarlet was a gourmet chef.

The middle ring was cleared, and the ringmaster stepped out into the spotlights.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, it is a great pleasure to introduce to you our newest addition and seen for the first time anywhere. This girl, the foundling in space where her wings were broken, has healed and flies again! This magnificent woman, whose hair is as red as fire and has a soul to match! I introduce to you - THE RAVEN!" 

All eyes looked up as the spotlights searched for the girl, finally resting upon a platform where a girl wearing a skin-tight suit, black and violet in color

She stood with her arms outstretched, one leg poised as if to leap off the edge of the platform, her chin tilted back and her hair billowing around in falsified curls tied back with a black bandana. There was a diamond on her stomach, showing her navel, reaching from the bottom of her chest bone to the middle of her hips, black ribbon ending it. 

One of the legs in the pants suit was black, the other one violet like the chest piece she wore, sequins making a bird in flight on her hip. 

The chest piece itself was daring, two cups to hold her breasts in place as she soared through the air, reaching to the point where the top of the diamond made its lines reaching for each other at the bottom.

This costume also had no back to it.

The girl brought her head forward, her eyes alluring, mysterious - deadly.

Duo's heart leapt at the sight 

"Scarlet…?"

*~*

Treize Kushrenada's eyes opened wide as they set upon the daring girl on the platform, her chest heaving as she took a fresh gulp of air before him.

It was Nicole! Scarlet! But… Raven? Yes… yes it was possible… 

"Mr. Kushrenada, I did not expect to see you here. Yes… yes she is a fine looking young rat, don't you agree?" he heard a voice say behind him, accompanied by a louder than needed smirk

"Scorpion…" Treize said softly…

"Emperor Scorpion, yes, yes it is me, Treize." He smirked as he took a seat near Kushrenada, Lady Une sat at the other side casting an odd glance at the two young men who sat behind her, who were making crude jokes of the young girl.

Treize worried for his dear Nicole's well being.

And he wasn't talking of the trapeze that had descended from the ceiling that she was taking a hold of.

*~*

The techno music started as Raven let go of the trapeze… there was something wrong, something in the audience that unnerved her, but she couldn't give into fear now. Giving into fear, she thought, a lead to pain… leads to the end… leads to… to darkness.

There was a gasp as the girl leaped from the platform to the trapeze, taking a hold of it to introduce more propulsion. She knew what she was doing; she had tried different things out.

She had tried different things out over a safety net.

Now there was no net.

Raven felt her curls catch in the wind as she loosened her hands, swinging her knees up over the bar and hanging upside down in a single movement, she waved to the crowd and blew a kiss.

How the crowd liked kisses.

She noticed three boys in particular that liked the kiss.

Her body moved in beat to the heavy music as strobe lights of different colors flashed off and on, shining off the sequins sown onto her outfit and the sparkle she had put onto her cheeks to help hide the freckles. She had decided she didn't want them.

But then there was something else about her name… Raven.

Of course… she remembered nothing as far as she knew, of her former life, of that other girl she was before. That girl with the fiery temper who had punched someone simply because they stated a generalization about women.

That girl that was supposed to be a Goddess of Death.

That girl that was supposed to be fighting in a battle. 

In a war. 

Of course, Raven didn't know any of this. All she knew is that Ravens are supposed to fly.

So she is.

*~*

Everyone was enjoying the trapeze act, the girl was amazing, executing finely tuned spins when catching onto various trapeze swings, blowing kisses and winking devilishly to the crowd. 

She loved all the attention she was getting, obviously.

With a triple spin horizontally, she landed on the opposite platform, and just as she gave her bow a gunshot rang out.

There were screams as the trapeze artist looked up, alarmed, the gunfire bringing back something devastating that she remembered.

An explosion…

Pain. Sorrow.

"MISTER MAXWELL!" Raven cried out, then with a look of pain, her eyes went blank and the body toppled to the ground.

The moss-green haired boy held the bleeding trapeze artist, his eyes calm…

And in the stands, a skinny man, looking like a skeleton lowered the gun again, a grin that could send shivers down even Heero Yuy's spine plastered to his face.


	18. A Happy Reunion, Sorrowful News

ngg18

Bright lights, someone crying… no there was a man crying. Someone was holding her hand.

The green-eyed wonder-girl blinked…

"What… what's going…" she started…

"SCARLET!" Mr. Maxwell exclaimed, and embraced the sixteen-year-old as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I thought you were dead!" she confessed crying into his shoulder "I missed you, oh Mr. Maxwell I missed you so much!" she cried, tears of joy finding their way down her cheek.

"It's OK, kiddo, it's OK… I thought you were dead - twice! Oh Scarlet…"

The two after all had not seen each other since the first separation.

They clung to each other a long time, because for all of Scarlet's life Mr. Maxwell was all she had in the universe, and Mr. Maxwell loved Scarlet like his own child.

Heero and Kiyoshi rolled their eyes; they didn't exactly what the entire hubbub was about, after all Scarlet had only just almost died and everything about three times.

Chang Wufei and Chen Lian glanced with little interest, they both wanted to get on with the mission.

Max and Trowa stood, still in circus garb, standing silent over to the side a little. Max cast a glance at Scarlet, who seemed more and more, like his little sister.

Quatre and Basim laughed merrily, the entire group was back together again, and they hadn't been together since the first battle that they sent the kids away.

Lyla looked at them, standing father back than the other pilots were, thinking to herself.

She closed her eyes.

"They've grown so much…" she mummered to herself "The pilots elder had grown in age, wisdom… and compassion. The young ones too have matured… yes… yes it's time for the battle." She mummered, glancing up at the grouping.

"It's time for the final battle."

*~*

Relena, Dorothy, Lucretzia, Lady Une, Milliardo senior and Treize Kushrenada sat together in the living room of a fine town house in the middle of an abandoned city. Everyone had a cup of coffee or tea in front of him or her, and they were all more than a little disheveled. Their gracious host, the Scorpion Emperor smiled his death's grin at them.

"I hope you didn't object totally to your… kidnapping… during the mayhem that followed the circus performance of the young Scorpion." He chuckled.

"What are you talking about? I certainly saw no one that looked like you." The aged Relena said with a stern face. 

"Why… young Scarlet, or Nicole, or Raven, or any number of names she might have gone by. She is, after all, the last one born." He shrugged "Though she has LaGrange colony blood in her… but that can be over looked."  
"What do you mean? Is Nico… Scarlet related to you?" Treize asked, a little bit of shock on his face.

"Why… no. She's related to another Scorpion that you all know. She's of Moore blood."

"That's impossible, the only way she could have done that is if Lyla had children, and we all know that she left Duo long before Scarlet could have been born." Lucretzia piped up, her hand finding Milliardo's. Milliardo Peacecraft just looked angrily at his grandson, who stood stern-faced at the door, his back to them as he guarded the room. 

"How did this happen?" he growled to himself as he glanced up at the Scorpion.

"Scarlet Erin is the last chance for this colony! Only she holds the key to opening the mystery… oh yes the mystery!" Scorpion laughed. "And she's not bad looking either."

Dorothy scowled.

"That's disgusting. You are a sick man!" he stood "And I DEMAND you release us!" 

"Sit down, Grandmother." Nicholas said with a smirk "You don't want to get hurt."

Dorothy blinked, looking in shock at her grandson, he had… had threatened her! She turned to Scorpion

"How could you pervert our grandchildren's minds! You sick bastard, why if I were twenty years younger I'd…" she said, her hand as if reaching for a sword.

"Dorothy… it's not the time." Milliardo said sternly. Treize agreed with his friend 

"Yes Dorothy, please. Come sit beside me." 

Lady Une glared at the Scorpion in silent hatred, this man who had not only ruined her life more than once but also had taken her passion as a Preventer away, and kidnapped her and now held her against her will. 

Scorpion laughed.

"On that note, my little ones, I will leave you be." He taunted, and smirked at the group.

"Good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow."

*~*

Scarlet winced as she rubbed her back, glancing around at the hospital ward on Pod-Hopper II, everything had come back to her in one great rush, so she was trying to sort everything out. She had been able to change from her trapeze artist suit to her regular black fatigues and a black button-down shirt. Her green eyes searched the room boredly… and she ran a hand through her red bangs. Mr. Maxwell had graciously braided her hair for her, and she ran a hand as far down as her mid back before her side hurt. 

She sat up and swung her legs over the side just as Lyla, the aged woman who had doctored Scarlet's wounds walked in.

"You should be laying down." She said, adjusting her glasses and looking at the young pilot.

"I can't lay down! I KNOW something's wrong and no one's telling me anything!" Scarlet cried out, throwing her hands into the air, wincing.

Lyla sighed.

"The other pilots are in briefing to make an assault on the colony. You can't go, you're down for the rest of the war." Lyla said, putting away some things

"WHAT? I can't be down! Oh… wait… Bran exploded… " Scarlet blinked, her face turning sorrowful. "I guess you're right… I'm no use. I'm useless. I'm so uncool."

"No use and useless mean the same thing, Scarlet. You've been around Duo too long."

"Well… I repaired Bran once myself - I can do it again! And I even used LEO parts on him!" 

Lyla blinked… of course! She had landed on the deserted island base Treize had been making his home on, and of course there would still be mobile suits there. That's why the systems were a little messed up.

"You also had a virus in your computer system." Lyla said. Her face darkened,

"The Epyon! Yeah, I know… is… is Bran OK? The systems I mean…." Scarlet said.

Lyla smiled 

"Perhaps one such as yourself doesn't need to be down for the count, Scarlet. I'll show you something…"

Lyla motioned for Scarlet to follow, and the two women on the ship made their way down a long stretch of hallway.

Lyla lead the way into a darkened hangar, the Work hangar Scarlet realized. 

"Don't be scared, Scarlet. Come on in." Lyla said, and turned on the lights.

The bright lights blazed off the shining black armor on the black winged Gundam, eyes seemed to flare to life as Scarlet gasped, and cried out the name of her ol' buddy. She ran over to the Gundam and wrapped her arms around the leg (or attempted to), tears of joy running down her face, not as much as they had with Mr. Maxwell, but enough all the same.

"Lyla… Lyla did you do this?" She asked, turning to the gray haired woman.

"Yes. Bran was my finest work… aside from one other thing that now doesn't matter if I made it or not." She said in a tone that made Scarlet not want to ask. 

"You made Bran?"

"Yes, I created all five of your Gundams based on the originals… and mine. The Gundam Atermis… Bran is the closest to Atermis in speed… but much more powerful. I'm surprised it didn't end up like Diabolic - one of the predecessors to Atermis in the Scorpion Gundam lines. He too had almost a mind of his own and mental connections to his pilot… young me. Younger than you, matter of fact."

Scarlet listened with rapt attention… if Lyla was saying it, it must be important.

"I was foolish in thinking that I could handle the system when I was very young, so I created a different one, though much more powerful. I'm sure you know that all of the New Generation Gundams are equipped with EROS?" 

"Yeah, Mr. Maxwell used that to send us all away… Emergency Relocation Operation System, right?" 

"Correct… anyway, you'd better get to briefing if you want to continue fighting, Scarlet."

"I don't want to fight… I'm just protecting those I love."

"Oh?" Lyla blinked "And who do you love? Mr. Maxwell?"

"Him and Heero and Quatre and Wufei and Trowa and Max and Basim and Lian and Kiyo and Treize and Matt and his mom and his dad and especially his sister and then her dolly too, and all sorts of the other circus people…" Scarlet paused "I guess… everybody."

Lyla smiled. 

"Good, now get to briefing before you miss everything."

As Scarlet rushed from the room, Lyla pressed the comm button.

"Hey, Duo here, what's up?" 

"Scarlet will be fighting, Duo. Make sure the briefing doesn't start until she gets there."

*~*

Kiyoshi Yuy, the ever-stern grandson of Heero Yuy and Relena Peacecraft sat down. He was the leader of the group, born into the position and trained to not show weakness. He almost seemed inhuman, distant. That's how he preferred it. His moss green hair was held back with a yellow bandana, to keep it from drifting into his eyes.

The red haired charge of Duo Maxwell stepped in the room, her bright green eyes behind her glasses as usual, and a brand new bottle of pills in the pocket of her fatigues. Her stomach growled slightly in protest of the single granola bar she had had before having the bullet removed. Her mind didn't wander; she focussed intently on the mission that was to be set before her. After all, the Scorpion had hurt her deeply, a black scar across her heart. 

Max Barton heaved a slight sigh as he sat down, ever the introverted knife-dodger that he was. He knew he had grown, he had become more open, especially among these pilots who he trusted… no… whom he DEPENDED his life upon. 

Basim Atif Winner, the smiling grandson of the most kindhearted of the pilots sat talking to his grandfather about the ZERO system, how it differed and how he had to fight grandmother Dorothy while using it. He was a little worried and speaking of his grandfather battling his grandmother often eased his worry.

Lian ran a hand over his hair, checking to make sure the small ponytail in the back was secure. He knew this was the beginning of the end… for him? Perhaps, but more importantly it was a matter of his honor. He would not be too afraid, simply because being so scared of something that you run away is dishonor. There is no dishonor in being scared for your life, or those you care about.

And before them stood the five pilots, the first Gundams… those boys that the organization known as OZ, branching from the Romefeller Foundation on Earth, had fought decades ago. They had all aged, and their piloting days was over. They knew, they felt it deep within their bones. 

This was the battle that the next generation may loose. 

And die in.

Heero Yuy looked at them, and spoke, no emotion in his voice, but his eyes were far from dead.

They shown with pride.

"As you know, this is our first assault on the colony where the Scorpion makes his rule. Since no one can enter the colony proper, you don't need to worry about defense systems on the main part of the colony. However, on the axis wheel where our enemies will be there are gattling guns as well as minor laser cannons. You are under no circumstance allowed to harm the colony, your mission is to cut the Scorpion troops down."

"Why aren't we allowed to attack the colony?" Scarlet inquired, raising her eyebrows.

Heero closed his eyes.

"In the confusion of the circus incident, Scorpion had kidnapped a number of our supporters, Relena Yuy, Dorothy Winner, Milliardo and Lucretzia Peacecraft, Lady Une and…"

"Treize!" Scarlet yelped a little louder than she wanted to, and everyone looked at her, with Mr. Maxwell guffawing. 

"Sorry…"

"In any case, your orders are to not harm the colony, destroy the main defenses, the most powerful and threatening being the dolls and the larger cannons. We have reasons not to destroy the colony, and we have no choice but to continue with the assault."

All the pilots understood, and nodded.

*~*

They stood before their mobile suits, Kiyoshi with Raidon, the Golden Angels of Lightning. Scarlet and Bran, combined to become the Raven and the Dark Goddess of Death. Max Barton and his Blaze, the fiery Gundam that held within more ammunition than perhaps some of the colonies. Basim Atif Winner, the smiling young boy and the blue tank of Faris, the Knight of the Skies. Chen Lian stood before his Shen-Li, the unbending Willow and his weapon of truth and justice. 

They had grown, but their growing was not done. They still couldn't function as a team. 

And now was the time to learn they had to learn to be a team. Their lives depended on it.

One hour to the first assault.


	19. Defiance of Orders and Tragedy befalls

"I'm hungry." Scarlet announced to the other New Generation Pilots. They all sat around waiting for the last half-hour to pass before the battle. 

None of the others seemed to be hungry. 

Scarlet sighed and stood, walking to the kitchen, the older pilots had gone to a "senior meeting", leaving her and the others… 

"Better not eat anything…" she whispered to herself. "It'd suck to be ill in the helmet."

Instead, she drunk some water.

*~*

"T Minus Ten Minutes to First Assault, all pilots report to your Gundams." Came Lyla's voice over the intercom, Scarlet glanced up from where she had been sitting, playing with Flopsy on the table…

Kiyoshi drew himself up from his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Basim glanced up at the intercom from watching the other colonies in the distance, and nodded, heading towards the hangar.

Max too turned, heading for the hangar, following Basim.

Lian left his room, smelling of exotic incense as he walked to the hangar. 

The pilots meandered in, Scarlet shaking with anticipation at her first REAL battle… she kept on trying to leap onto Kiyoshi's back.

"C'mon Kiyo! Chin up! No sweat, right? Just destroy a few of the first-line defenses and back here with a cool cola watchin' cartoons!" she laughed, but her laugh was shaky, and she wouldn't admit that she was scared out of her wits.

Of course, everyone thought she was out of her mind in the first place, not that it bothered HER any.

*~*

Lyla looked at the faces from the control room of Pod-Hopper II, her poker face on (and learning how to play poker from Duo and Heero, she knew exactly what a poker face was). Her face masked her worry and concern for the young pilots who had entered the cockpits of these massive war machines called Gundams, which she herself had designed and built for the most part.

Kiyoshi was un-afraid, or at least that's what his face said. His eyes wandered over the controls at he himself made the final check ups on the Gundam.

Basim though, was nervous. His hand shook slightly as he made sure everything was in order within Faris. Lyla had to smile slightly. He was so like Quatre.

"Basim, don't worry, Faris will take care of you." She said softly into the microphone that allowed her to speak to the pilots.

"I can't _help_ it, Lyla, I'm not worried about Faris taking care of me, it's of the other suits taking care of Faris!" he insisted, and Lyla couldn't help but chuckle.

She turned off the mic. 

"Quatre, your grandson is so much like you it's uncanny."

"Why, thank-you Lyla." Quatre replied, another smile wrinkle forming.

Turning back to the monitors, her eyes shifted to Max.

He sat, making his checks, just like Kiyoshi.

Her gaze drifted to Lian, proud of his sparkling white mobile suit, he made the final preparations.

And then there was Scarlet…

Lyla covered her face with her hands to stifle her laughter.

Scarlet, who had long before finished her final checks, was making faces at the monitor camera.

"Nyah!" she said, grabbing at the corners of her mouth and spreading them, sticking her tongue out.

"Duo, I didn't know you taught Scarlet your very own final check procedures." She said, straitening her glasses.

"I didn't teach her that! I taught her to moon the camera!" 

"DUO!"

"I'm only joking!"

*~*

"Begin final countdown….

"Ten… Nine…"

This was too familiar to Kiyoshi; he closed his eyes and put his hands on the joysticks.

"Eight, Seven…"

Scarlet tightened the gloves around her hands, sliding her hands around the controls to Bran

"You ready for this, ol' buddy?" she said softly aloud to the massive Gundam.

"Six, Five"

Basim said a little prayer to himself as he made sure he was fastened in securely. 

"Four, three…"

Max was patient, his thoughts focussed on the battle, no distractions.

"Two, one…"

Chen Lian opened his eyes as he awaited the final word - it seemed like the pause between one and the command was forever.

"GO!"

Thrusters fired, engines roared to life, and eyes glowed.

The first assault had begun! 

*~*

Scorpion stood at the main deck of the Scorpio Colony, his watery eyes fixated on the void of space.

"They're coming." He said softly. "They will try… and they will fail." He smirked.

He walked to the inter-communicator of the colony.

"Ready all battle stations - they are on their way!"

*~*

"What does he mean "They are on their way"?" Dorothy blinked.

Relena sighed

"The Gundams… they're coming."

"Scarlet?" Treize asked. 

"Yes, and Kiyoshi and Basim and Max and Lian." Milliardo the First replied, he glanced at Treize "How did you manage to put up with Scarlet and maintain your sanity, may I ask Treize?"

"Why, Milliardo, did she do something to your school?"

Lucretzia chuckled. 

"Practically destroyed it within the first week." She affirmed.

"Oh, really? She seemed like such a nice child." Treize said. Lady Une rolled her eyes slightly; he still was too idealistic.

Dorothy sighed, and turned to Relena

"I hope our grandchildren are all right, Relena. Oh! It'd be horrible if…"

"I know, Dorothy, I know." Relena said.

*~*

The battlefield was ablaze, bathed in gold, red, and green light.

"Remember, don't hurt the colony proper, everyone!" Basim called out into the comm.

Scarlet spun the double-ended scythe around, slicing two dolls

"You worry about not harming the colony, Basim, I'll worry about watching yours and Lian's backs!" 

It was true, for Lian and Basim were disarming the colony, while Scarlet, Kiyoshi who took out a dozen Scorpion Dolls with one blast from the Mega Beam Rifle, and Max who used his weapons to the full potential.

"Be careful in there, guys!" Scarlet said, "Bran's pickin' up…" 

She glanced to the side, seeing the two Scorpion suits, Zephyr and Destroyer…

"…Something nasty. Great… just peachy." She scowled, then turned on the comm "Listen fellas, if you don't wanna suffer the wrath of one war-ready Goddess, I suggest you get your wimpy, traitorous tails outta here!" she growled… then pulled away from the group.

"C'mon and get us, Scarlet! Come get the guys who nearly killed ya!" she heard Nick's voice say… there was nothing from Zechs.

"SCARLET!" she heard Mr. Maxwell's voice come over the comm "Stay with the others! That is a direct or… CLICK!" 

*~*

Duo's eyes opened wide behind the bifocals he wore, he growled and started yelling 

"SCARLET! SCARLET ERIN MAXWELL THAT IS A DIRECT ORDER! DO YOU HEAR ME?! SCARLET! Scarlet…" 

Too much, it was too much for the old man to take, with a flick of his gray braid; he grasped his chest, his left breast right over his heart, and closed his eyes… falling backwards from the work station that Lyla had set up for the trainer-pilots, dropping his comm piece from his hand.

Lyla turned in horror, hearing the sickening thump. 

*~*

Scarlet turned to the main monitor as she clicked off the comm system, she knew it was dangerous, she wouldn't be able to call for help - that gave her the edge, she decided. 

Zephyr came out, baring a heat-whip, and Nick sneered

"Piece of Cake, Zechs, this girl's gonna wish she HAD gone with me!" he laughed…

Zephyr pulled its arm back, the heat whip flicking slightly in challenge… 

Bran responded as the communicator clicked back on, but solely for Nicholas Catalonia, as the black Gundam spread its wings in a mock invitation, spinning the two-headed scythe around, and pausing.

"What's the matter, Maxwell, you afraid?"

"I'm scared… terrified… but that's not gonna make me stop…" Scarlet thought to herself. 

"I'm not scared of you, I'm gonna take you down."

*~*

In the control room, Lyla was frantic. Scarlet wasn't following commands, and Duo had a heart attack…

She gripped his hand in hers as Quatre retrieved the first aid kit…

"She is your daughter, Duo." She whispered slightly through tears, and held the pale, hot hand to her face. "Don't leave us…"


	20. Never Let Go - Songfic

ngg20

Lyla opened her eyes, and looked at Heero, her eyes were cool, calm, and collected. 

"Get him to the medical bay, hook him up to life support, I don't know if there's much I can do but I HAVE to try. Call them back. Call them all back, use the EROS system." She said, her voice not one to be disobeyed. 

Heero nodded, and walked over to his station, slipping on his headphones. 

"Code red, code red." He said as the others lifted Duo gingerly, and exited the room. "All pilots abandon mission and return to base. I repeat, all pilots abandon mission and return to base."

*~*

Kiyoshi raised his head, looking to the side as he disarmed and totally crippled a doll, ignoring the explosion that lit up the side of his face.

"Abandon mission, and return to base…" he muttered under his breath… "Something's wrong…"

He felt a heavy pull as the thrusters of Raidon flared up, and turned him and the other pilots back to the base, he let go of the joysticks. 

"Kiyoshi!" came Basim's voice "Scarlet's not responding and Bran's still in battle…"

"Damn it all!" Kiyoshi swore, adding a few oaths in Japanese, then hit the comm button

"Grandfather, neither Bran nor Scarlet are responding to the call. Awaiting instruction."

Heero blinked, the EROS system wasn't responding? That wasn't right… she must have disconnected it! Heero swore loudly, causing Kiyoshi to recoil slightly. He was jerked forward as the EROS system quit, and he was in command of his suit. 

"Get her out of there and drag her back if necessary, Kiyoshi." Heero said, and the comm clicked as it closed the connection.

Kiyoshi turned Raidon around, and spread the majestic golden wings of the Thunder Gundam, drawing forth the beam saber and readying his shield for battle… but knew there was no time to duke it out with his cousin and Nick Catalonia. There was no guarantee that Scarlet would go back without a fight. 

As he approached, Scarlet was locked into battle with Catalonia, whose heat whip had been slashed by the beam scythe, Bran shot back a hundred feet, and the two stood there.

Kiyoshi saw his chance when he saw his cousin approach in back of Scarlet, ready to deal the blow to the wings of Bran.

*~*

The fight was horrible and wonderful at the same time, Scarlet matched every one of Nicholas' blows, he was now down to his beam saber, and defended himself with it… she heard his voice crackle over the comm…

"Scarlet! We don't have top be enemies! I know who your parents are! Your mom was a scorpion… _just like me!"_

Scarlet blinked… her mother was… a Scorpion? How did Nicholas find out about that? Who had told him her mother was an enemy? That's not right, her mother was DEAD!

She cried out in alarm as she felt something bit her back, bashing her head against the back of her Gundam, and heard Kiyoshi's voice.

"Scarlet! Get back to base! NOW!" he commanded, and as Scarlet fought Nicholas, Raidon's arms grabbed at Bran's wings. Kiyoshi put the thrusters on full and dragged Scarlet and her Gundam away from the fight. Miraculously, his cousin and Nicholas Catalonia did not follow. 

Kiyoshi felt a sharp tug at the system as Scarlet frantically tried to free herself and her Gundam from his grasp.

"Kiyoshi! Let me go! Now!" she cried out, her face showing up on the screen.

This was a Scarlet Kiyoshi had never seen before, her eyes were wild, feral, something was there in those eyes that scared him. Insanity?

Her breathing was hard, he could tell she was near to blacking out…

"Scarlet." He heard grandfather Heero's voice over the comm. "There's something wrong with Duo."

*~*

"MISTER MAXWELL!" Cried the crimson haired pilot as she threw down her helmet and ran into the room, her eyes wide with fear that he may have already gone… she took his hand into hers, and was overjoyed at finding it still warm.

Lyla put a hand on her shoulder.

"Scarlet… Duo suffered a heart attack… he… might not wake up. You're his family, I need to ask you a serious question." She said, looking at the teenager. 

Scarlet turned to her…

"You… you're gonna ask me to pull the plug, aren't you?" 

Lyla blinked her face emotionless. 

Just like Heero's. And Kiyo's. Damn them. She's as much as a bastard as the rest of them, Scarlet thought.

"Yes." Lyla finally answered… "It's not likely he'll wake up, Scarlet… I… couldn't get to him in time."

"Why not? Were you all too concerned over watching us flaunt our stupidity on the battlefield? You aren't out there; you don't know what it's like now! You might have once…" she said, standing, keeping her eyes on Lyla… then she turned to Maxwell…

"You might have once… but you don't anymore.

"You can't tell us what to do anymore, we're able pilots, we don't need your guidance anymore."

"Scarlet! That's a horrible thing to say! You are still young and…"

"And so were all of you!" She said, closing her eyes…

"I remember everything he told me, how he didn't wanna fight but he did because of what happened at the Maxwell Church… how he was going to blow up the Gundam Deathscythe when he first saw it. He didn't want me to fight… he didn't want another war… he didn't want more war orphans, not like him… not like him… I don't want to be like him!" she whispered… "I want to have a family to go back to when this is over, I want to have someone to hold me when I cry, I want someone to calm me when I'm angry, I want someone to laugh at my jokes… he always laughed…" 

Two trails of silver made their way down the freckled cheeks, brilliantly gleaming in the bright light of the medical lab.

"I don't want to be alone… I don't want to be alone…" she took his rough, old hand and placed it against her cheek, cupping it and closing her eyes…

"I wanna be alone, with Mr. Maxwell…" she whispered…

The others looked at each other, and nodded, and one by one, walked out. 

Lyla was the last to leave, picking Scarlet's helmet off the ground, and setting it on the counter. 

"Duo…" she whispered… then closed the door.

*~*

**__**

A few lyrics that inspired the following chapter, from the songs

"Never Let go" - Hanson

The second set of italics is my own written version, it was not in the song and not written by Hanson. 

Just let it die, and let your worries sleep.

Don't think now, the water's dark and deep

'Cause you know, I'll love you and never let go

And you know, that I love you forever

I love you, and never let go

Yes I love you and never let go

Just cry out, I've cried those tears before

I can feel it now, as your tear drops to the floor…

…I'm yours until forever is gone

She held the hand to her cheek, feeling the warmth and glow that was Mr. Maxwell, the smell of old sweat and monkey grease reminding her of the shop that they had worked, the tiny mechanic's shop between a jewelry store and a pizza place on the L2 colony. Her breath came in short, strangled sobs as she held his hand to her cheek. In all the years together, he had not once raised a hand against her, he had never hurt her in any way… how could he hurt her so much now?

Scarlet was not a child, but she had always thought Mr. Maxwell really WAS the "God of Death", and that he was immortal, and that he'd never die… he would never leave her alone, not like this.

"Hey, Mr. Maxwell… remember when we had talked about our dreams, a long time ago?" she whispered, still kneeling by the bed, "I have a new dream now… it's not childish anymore. I have a dream… of not making any more war orphans like you… and singing when I grow older… I want you there too, Mr. Maxwell. I want you to be part of my dream… because I don't know if I can do it without you. You're my strength, Mr. Maxwell, you're more important to me than anything else in the world… this one or the next. Mr. Maxwell, you can't leave me here alone… I… I don't know what to do." She wiped a tear away, and sniffled. "Who's gonna watch out for me? Who's gonna laugh at my corny jokes and who's gonna offer a hand when I fall down? Who's gonna show me the way outta a house of mirrors when I get dizzy? Who's gonna goof around with me? Who's gonna call me GD Meathead when I mess up on something?" there was a pause, a pregnant moment of silence that tension was so thick in, Scarlet felt more burning tears against her cheek, more damning tears that marked her childhood. 

"Mr. Maxwell… you can't leave me!"

__

This ocean's wide and the clouds above me weep

These tears come from my eyes, and I cry myself to sleep

And you know, that I love you forever, let go…

And you know, that I love you forever I'll love you and never let go

I'll love you and never let go

As I cry out, you've had these fears before

I can't feel you now; my tears fall to the floor

But I know that you love me and never let go…

And I know that you love me forever you love me and never let go

And I love you and never let go

You were always there for me

And I never realized that I'm yours until forever and oh…

I love you forever, let go.

I'll love you and never let go

"I'll love you, and never let go…" she whispered, as she closed her eyes, and stood, setting his hand back on the gurney. She brushed aside the gray hair that now matted his forehead, and pressed a tender kiss, the same kiss that she would have given him as a child, to his temple. 

Standing back, she looked at him… turned, and left the room, pausing by the door only the briefest of moments to sneak a peak back at her trainer who lay there nearly lifeless, and picked up the helmet he had painted for her.

"You fought my battles before, Mr. Maxwell… now let me continue yours."

*~*

Scarlet walked out, her face deep in thought, her glasses almost askew. Kiyoshi stood before her.

"They put me here because they didn't want you doing something drastic." He said plainly.

"You're not a very convincing liar, Kiyoshi." She answered him, bright green eyes still shining with tears looking into his Prussian blue eyes.

The two stood there in the hallway, silhouetted by the stars beyond the windows of the mobile base Pod-Hopper II, the crimson haired goddess of death and the thus-named god of thunder, Scarlet and Kiyoshi, Maxwell and Yuy.

"Her eyes…" he thought… "They're so lonely… they're scared… she's not scared of dying herself… she's scared of living without him…" 

She stood there, they were so near each other, then suddenly, without a word or warning, Scarlet dropped her helmet, wrapping her arms around Kiyoshi and sobbed into his shoulder, needing someone, needing someone she knew could care back.

Kiyoshi closed his eyes, leaned his head against hers, and wrapped his arms around her, embracing the scared woman that he beheld before him.

"It'll be all right, Scarlet…"

A pause… then his voice came soft like the wing of an owl in the cold, winter night

"I promise."


	21. The Beginning of the End

ngg21

Basim sighed as he leaned back in the over-stuffed chair in the lounge, his blonde hair feathering out slightly as his gray-green eyes closed.

"Hey there." Max said as he entered the room, glancing around. "Scarlet's still with Duo?"

Basim shrugged…

"I can't help but feel sorry for her," he said softly, leaning forward, resting his wrists on his legs… "I mean, she was raised by Maxwell, and that's pretty much all the family's she's known."

"She's also supposed to be Ms. Kushrenada's daughter, Treize Kushrenada's granddaughter." Max said, with a shrug "She has plenty of people who would be her family."

"I think you're right, Barton." Lian said, putting his two cents in as he leaned against the wall, popping open a can of soft drink. He took a sip, and examined the other two with his near black eyes. "She does have so many that would be her family. I can't see why she ever wanted to come back to piloting."

"Well, maybe she felt that SOMEONE had to protect them," Basim said in her defense "… that's the only reason I'm here… otherwise I'd stay at home. Maybe then… maybe then Grandmother Dorothy would be home and not on that colony." He bowed his head, feeling shame for dragging his grandmother into it.

"Hey, cut that out." Max comforted Basim, standing and putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder. Lian just watched 

"Maybe it couldn't have been avoided, Basim." The Mustard-Brown haired pilot continued "And maybe fate meant us to be pilots… all of us." He said, glancing up as Scarlet came into the room, her head bowed and Kiyoshi's arm over her shoulder. 

Lian raised his eyebrows, and cleared his throat. Kiyoshi glared at the room and Scarlet looked up… a blush gracing her cheeks, where the freckles of youth were beginning to fade. 

"I have a plan…" she whispered… "But it may mean saying goodbye for a long, long time."

*~*

__

The Chinese pilot cursed under his breath as he slipped almost silently along the corridors of the Pod-Hopper II, thinking about what the crimson haired pilot had spoken of, she wanted them all to die! She was crazy… but right now… it seemed like a good idea… to just go away from it and stop the Scorpion now. He was joined by a second shadow, in a brief glimpse a lock of blonde hair shone in the dim light of the stars. 

The next shadow to join them was Max Barton's his silhouette punctuated with the lock of hair that always hung in his face. The three shadows traveled past Scarlet's door, they knew she wasn't there.

The next to join them was Kiyoshi, whose intense stare seemed to glare in the darkness, lighting the way they all knew well to the hangar. 

The four men knew what waited for them. They were unafraid. 

*~*

In the dimmed light of the hospital wing, two young hands stroked the elder Maxwell's forehead, beneath the bags. She had not made the decision to let him die… it wasn't up to her. She gently reached down, and removed an ill-fated firearm from his side, he always carried it. She clipped it with her own two firearms, and then took something from her bag.

The two hands slid a gray-and white bunny onto the barely moving chest of the former pilot Duo Maxwell, and Scarlet wiped away a tear…

"This… this may be the last time I'll ever see ya again, Mr. Maxwell… I'm gonna go make you proud of me. I… I just wanna say… if you are on the other side… wait for me, OK?"

And deep in the darkness of the unconscious mind, something stirred…

As the doors to the medical bay closed, a single whisper echoed in the silent room…

"Scarlet…"

*~*

She walked into the control room of the Gundam Hold, knowing the others were there… 

Chen Lian, or Lian Chen now since he was used to having to introduce himself in the Western style, stood to the side a bit, his eyes closed. He wore the black suit that all the pilots wore now; it was a new suit Lyla had designed. All the suits were black, and thin, and would protect them from the effects of space, but in combat one would have to be careful, since a bullet could pierce it. His was an emblem of his name; a white Willow tree was the emblem on his shoulder. 

Then there was Basim, who was standing next to Max. Both had their helmets behind them, and both were ready, Scarlet could tell. Basim looked kinda little in the black, especially next to Max who was rather tall. Basim had the symbol of a blue shield etched into his shoulder, Max a flame. 

Scarlet set her bag down, and looked at them all… she slipped the last few lock-pick hairpins into her braid, holding it back and down as she glanced at them all. Her uniform was differing, while Kiyoshi and the others had black suits and emblems (except Kiyoshi, who declined the offer), she had a red suit and helmet, with a black raven crossed with a double-ended scythe over her heart. And then there was Kiyoshi, who was totally un-afraid. If there was any fear in the stout heart of that warrior, he didn't show it. 

She took a deep breath, and glanced at them all…

"I disconnected the EROS system to all our Gundams, they can't pull us out of battle. I also disconnected all their outgoing comms. We're on our own… if you want to turn back…" she whispered "Do it now." 

There were glances, but no one spoke. 

"Good, let's get going." She walked over to the console, and punched a few buttons in. She glanced at the others, and clicked set 

"Ten minutes." She said. They all turned to the doors to the lock, and she was the last… she took a hold of the Japanese pilot's elbow…

"Kiyoshi… I have to tell you something…" she said softly… and pulled him aside, letting the others go on ahead.

"Scarlet, there's no time." He commented, looking into the green eyes…

She shook her head, and from her pocket took out a little silver cross on a chain.

"It's my good luck charm… Mr. Maxwell gave it to me when I was really little… I… I want you to have it, Kiyo. I wore it under my shirt whenever I went out to battle, or practiced, or had a celebration… and I want you to keep it. This is the last time we may ever see each other…" she glanced up at him, tears behind her glasses showing. "And if it is… I want you to take a part of me with you."

"Scarlet…" Kiyoshi said, and looked at the silver chain and token, then back at the pilot, his eyes still emotionless, then suddenly… a spark. A tear was shining in those eyes of his, those wonderful, damnable eyes. 

He turned and walked down the walkway, leaving Scarlet to either stay or follow. He didn't want to be emotional before a battle… he knew it'd kill her… and him… if one of them were to die.

*~*

Kiyoshi slid into his seat inside Raidon, snapping shut the safety harness and closing the hatch of his Gundam. The main screen flipped forward and buzzed to life, showing the walkway beyond the golden Gundam. Beside him was Bran, the black Gundam, and inside the girl who might be crying.

No, she wasn't a girl. She was a woman. 

*~*

Scarlet smiled slightly, hoping it would make her less scared, she settled back, and set the picture of herself and Mr. Maxwell in place.

"Well… here I am… I'm gonna make you proud. Mr. Maxwell!" she whispered to the picture. She leaned back in her seat, fastening her harness into place. Her eyes were calm, and she knew that at any moment it would be time to leave…

*~*

Max had many thoughts running through his head as he made the final preparations in Blaze, his mind dwelling on things quite other than the war. His mother, and grandmother Catherine. How they both died in a fire. In all honesty, he was afraid of fire, and he was half-afraid of the Gundam that took its name from fire. He closed his eyes, remaining calm. You had to keep your cool when you worked in the circus, because there were a lot of people who depended on you at one time or another. He couldn't loose his cool, not now. There were billions of people who depended on him, and four people whose lives were put on the line with his. 

He was resolved to his fate.

*~*

Basim hummed to himself, trying to calm his jangled nerves. There were so many thoughts going through his head right then, thoughts of his friends, the secret love he had among them, his kindly grandfather; everything was just too much for him. He longed to just go back and live the simple life of learning how to manage a business, but those days were over the day he had been chosen by Quatre to train. It was OK to long for the past, but was it all right to long enough for it to hurt? Or was this longing something else?

A thought of Max flashed his mind.

Alone in his cockpit, Basim flushed red.

*~*

He didn't like it. 

He was going to do it, but he didn't like it.

Lian heaved a sigh, forcing it out of his lungs spitefully, like a gun forcing the bullet through. He leaned back, waiting for the countdown. Scarlet hadn't denied hacking into the system in order to release the catches on the Gundams, and open the doors to space beyond. 

He closed his eyes, meditating for a few moments on what he might face.

"I must be ready for everything, and anything." He said to himself as the nearly black eyes glanced over the cockpit of the white Gundam that represented Spiritual Truth, and he felt odd for once in his life. All this talk of freeing the colonies… under the Scorpion rule they were peaceful, save the five upstarts and their pilots.

Did they have the right to destroy the fragile peace?


	22. Final Battle (I)

ngg22

Lyla awoke with a start; she slept farther from the others than they thought; just a hallway away from the Gundam bay, and she thought she heard the doors open… she turned to the wall, putting a hand against it. 

"It's shaking…" she whispered… then stood panicked. 

"Scarlet!" She called, as if to stop the crimson-haired pilot. The elderly woman stood from her bed clad in her nightclothes as she ran across the hall, hitting a comm button. 

"Alert! Full alert! The pilots are out!" she growled… and shook her head as she made it - bare foot- to the command central. She pulled up the EROS system, typing in the codes manually as fast as her tired fingers would let her. 

The codes came back empty… erred. 

"She disconnected them!" she cried out in fury… slamming her fists down "Damn it!" she swore loudly, drawing the attention of a stiff Wufei. 

"Lyla! What's the meaning of this?"  
"Wufei! They're gone! They've severed all connections to Podhopper!"

"What?" 

*~*

"Raidon to Bran"

"Bran here. What's up, Kiyo-chan?"  
"Don't call me that, Scarlet."

"K Ai-chan."

"Shut up Scarlet."

"Bummer."

*~*

They approached the Scorpio colony quickly; their thrusters turned off to conserve fuel. They were ready for battle; they were ready to die. 

"You guys go ahead… I have a score to settle." Came Scarlet's voice over the communicator.

"Don't hurt my cousins badly, Scarlet." Basim's voice chirped. 

"I'm just gonna kick their asses, Basim. No worries." Scarlet answered back cheerily…

"Don't get hurt." Kiyoshi said. Scarlet noted that she could sense the emotion in his voice now.

She smirked as she turned off the comm "Love's a funny thing." She chuckled… then veered off… she knew he was waiting.

*~*

The four boys of the New Generation Gundam force didn't have to wait long for their battle… almost immediately after Scarlet left, Zechs and Nick showed up in Zephyr and Destroyer. 

"You won't escape from us this time!" Zechs laughed as both the Scorpion suits drew their heat whips. 

Kiyoshi didn't bat an eyelid at the threat. He knew they wouldn't escape the Gundams either. Raidon drew the plasma sword and raised the shield against attack. He knew this was the beginning of the last battle…

Max just gave a silent chuckle to himself, drawing forth the double gattling machine gun that was Blaze's main weapon; he had nothing really riding on this, nothing of any great importance, but there had to be someone there to protect Basim. That was his job. 

Basim himself was a little worried about the battle, he knew he had the most armor simply because he was a planner, he wasn't a very good fighter. His blonde hair was slightly matted with sweat as the battle came on swift wings with fangs bared… but could this knight of the sands withstand it?

Chen Lian smirked slightly as he readied his main weapons of choice- the double Dragon Claws, he didn't care for either of the young men's lives… he just wanted to get this over with, and go back to his "normal" life with Master Chang. He knew this war was going to end - and it was going to end as soon as HE was done it!

The battle began with all the glories of a million-soldier war. The battle cries echoed in space as Gundanium clashed against Gundanium, cousin against cousin, and two others trying to keep the first four from striking the colony in the process. 

The glow of plasma weapons hung in the void as the six pilots struggled…

"Scarlet… where's Scarlet?" was on Milliardo the Third's mind… his eyes glanced to every monitor, searching for that black Gundam… that beautiful, terrible Gundam that held that goddess among men.

Where was Scarlet?

*~*

The colony rocked as accidental fire from the battle struck against it, throwing the elderly prisoners off their seats. 

"I thought my war-days were over." Lady Une muttered softly as she stood, bracing herself against a wall. 

"Mine too, Lady." Treize agreed, feeling sick to his stomach. Relena and Dorothy looked scared; Lucretzia clung to Milliardo in desperation. 

"Our grandchildren are fighting, aren't they?" Dorothy asked sadly, glancing around at the room. 

Everyone nodded in reply… just as the colony did another rollover, knocking them all to the ground hard. 

Milliardo blinked with pain then stood himself up. 

"I hope they're sending someone before they kill us all off." He growled. 

He did still have a grudge against Kiyoshi.

*~*

Scarlet raced through the Scorpio colony, her breath not even coming up in gasps. She held just a pistol in her hand as she sped around corners… she didn't want to hurt anyone, let alone shoot an ally by accident. She knew just where the prisoners were kept… and it was funny to her… the Moore house. Just the place she was looking for… something struck her odd though… the Moore house wasn't in town… was it? Why was she even thinking that? How could she know?

She came to the right house quickly, the layouts of the town just like Kiyoshi's city block… and she tried the door to the home.

"Locked… no problem." She whispered to herself as she backed up a step… 

… And kicked in the door…

… Followed by a loud piece of profanity by someone who was behind it…

… Namely Milliardo Peacecraft. 

He opened his eyes wide and stared at the redhead, as people shouted…

"SCARLET!"  
"NICOLE!"

"HEAVEN HELP US ALL!" was what Mr. Peacecraft replied. 

Scarlet sighed… then grinned, shrugging 

"Oh well… can't win them all!"

"Scarlet, how are the others? Is everyone all right?" Relena asked, approaching the crimson haired pilot. 

"As far as I know, yeah, but that could all change real quick… especially if we don't get out of here." She nodded in the direction of intended escape…

*~*

Meanwhile, inside the Podhopper II, Lyla paced nervously as Heero, Wufei and Trowa stood watching the screen. To go near the battlefield would be suicide… at the same time they couldn't give their students, their grandsons and nephews and charges commands to guide them. Were they ready? Could they win without guidance?

Quatre's voice interrupted the tomb-like silence of the command room.

"Duo's gone! Lyla, Duo's GONE!"

"WHAT! GONE?" Lyla began to really panic her eyes wide. 

"Lyla." Heero said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. 

She turned, and just over Heero's shoulder she saw the crown of a chestnut-brown head. 

"DUO! They ran off Duo, they ran off!" she nearly sobbed. 

"Oh great…" Duo thought, rubbing the back of his head embarrassed. He held in one arm Scarlet's rabbit and in the other a jacket. His glasses glinted in the light from the battle, showing green sparks…

"I know, Lyla, I know… I don't think I woulda stopped them, anyway." He shrugged. 

Lyla, to his surprise, laughed… Duo was now more confused… 

"Eh?"

"You're right Duo… you're right… they're not children. Young men and woman… they don't need our help." She nodded, turning back to the battle. "I do wish they had told me… I would have just turned it off." 

Duo shook his head, and approached Lyla, wrapping one arm around her waist and leaning his head against hers. 

"They'll be OK, Lyla. Geez, by the way you act, you'd think Scarlet was your kid."

"You act the same way, Duo!"

"Eh… well…"

*~*

"Kiyoshi! Behind you!" 

But Kiyoshi already knew that his cousin was there… he turned to meet the opponent heads-on. 

Plasma swords clashed in space, Kiyoshi reversed to get a better strike, and brought the blow down just barely too late, missing his cousin by mere feet. 

Zechs laughed aloud… 

"Is that all you have, Kiyoshi? Some Gundam pilot!" 

"Figures, they have a girl as a front runner!" Nicholas answered. 

Lian heard this… and entered the fray with flamethrowers burning in the void of space. 

*~*

Scarlet stopped at a door, as Zechs tried to remember the long-faded code that entered the door. 

"Damn it!" he swore, kicking at the door. Scarlet shrugged, put the gun to the controls, and pulled the trigger. 

There was only a small explosion, which made most of the members in the party gasp, but the door opened. 

"Really, Mr. Peacecraft, you need to learn how to be a sneaky-wise pilot." She grinned, and led the way. It annoyed her that the women in the party couldn't run… they were too slow. 

Finally, the group came to the escape pod bay. Scarlet knew there was only one pod missing, but it didn't bug her in the least that she knew that. She looked inside… there was barely enough room. Good.

"Now I can get back to Bran." She thought, turning to the others, counting.

There was Milliardo and Lucretzia Peacecraft, Relena Yuy, Dorothy Catalonia-Winner, Lady Une, Mr. Treize, someone would have to stand, but that was OK. She nodded to herself, and backed away from the way in. 

"All right, if you get outta here, Pod Hopper's gonna pick up the pod. I'll alert the other pilots you're going through… we have to destroy this colony."

"Destroy it?" Relena blinked…

"Yes, Mrs. Yuy… but you have to hurry. There's no guarantee that even I'm gonna make it outta here once I set this place to blow."  
They hurriedly entered the pod. Mr. Treize was last.

"You're very, very brave, little one."

Scarlet gave a lop-sided grin and a military-like salute

"Just because I've got nothing to loose and everything to gain in this battle doesn't make me brave. It makes me a coward to run away!" she smiled, and the kindly Kushrenada walked into the pod. She shut the door, setting the coordinates from outside, and pressed the ignition button. 

She turned, running from the pod as it slipped down the chute, heading towards Space.

Scarlet's face was of grim determination. She hadn't told the others of this part of her plan - mainly because she didn't want them going in and risking their necks. She had half a mind to think she was immortal, she should have died several times over, but someone was watching out for her. 

She paused… something didn't feel right… 

She turned the corner, and raised her gun, pointing it towards the skeletal face of the Scorpion. 

"Scarlet… you know that you don't want to." He smiled a sinister smirk that made Scarlet's blood run cold.


	23. Final Battle (II)

The battle raged outside the Scorpio colony, when Kiyoshi picked up a small vessel leaving the colony…

"Basim! That might be the captives! Go lead them to Podhopper, but be careful not to get to close."

"Right!" Basim answered over the comm as Faris left the fight…

Kiyoshi turned on a separate comm channel…

"Scarlet! Report!"

"_I know who your mother is, Scarlet."_ Came a crackling voice before a shot rang out… and it was silent. 

Kiyoshi turned his head… he couldn't concentrate on her. She could take care of herself… she knew what risk she was taking. 

She had no idea what she was doing.

*~*

She stood there, chest heaving, holding a smoking gun in her hand. The green of her eyes seemed almost feral, wild to the core. She was standing on an abyss of knowledge, and only the Scorpion could tell her, it seemed, how to dive in without dying. 

She could know who her parents are, where she came from, why she was named Scarlet. 

Scorpion smiled gently; almost grandfatherly at the girl holding the smoking gun a bullet embedded in the wall having missed his head by only inches. He looked down his long nose at the crimson haired pilot, and nodded.

"Yes, you have your mother's eyes, Scarlet." He whispered, as if in her ear. She lowered the gun slowly; her arms still stiff and ready to lift the firearm again.

"How do you know who my parents are?" she narrowed her eyes at her enemy, the lights blinking red hypnotically around her.

"Your mother was a Scorpion. I knew her a very, very long time ago. I knew her when she was just a little girl. You have your grandmother's color, your father's texture in your hair… the color… yes that is your paternal grandfathers in deed. Your uncle's too." 

Scarlet closed her eyes… her family, she had a family. Uncles, grandparents, the whole thing…

"Why… why did my mother leave me?" she whispered, looking through the glasses at the Scorpion, those emerald orbs wet with tears. 

"She didn't care. She dumped you because she didn't care Scarlet. You were a burden to everyone you met. The only reason your are named Scarlet is because of your hair… that little middle name is of your trainer's invention. He doesn't care either. He only trained you for war, Scarlet. Trained you for violence and bloodshed to continue a battle he couldn't. He got old… he will die and you will die soon after if you believe he cares."

Scarlet dropped to her knees, her eyes wide and trails of silver running down her cheeks… Mr. Maxwell just trained her for war? Was that all she was… a killing machine? She couldn't be… it just couldn't be.

She looked down as something fluttered to the floor… a picture. Mr. Maxwell and her together at the park… the pony ride when she was little. 

_"Scarlet, families are not just mommies and daddies and kiddies, they can be granddaddies and grandmommies and kiddies, or uncles and sisters and kiddies… or they can be someone who's not even related…"_

She raised her face and looked to The Scorpion, shaking her head.

"He loves me… Mr. Maxwell loves me! There are people who care! They all care about me just like I care about all of them!"  
"It's all a lie…"

"Yes! It IS all a lie! Lies out of your mouth! Just SHUT UP!" she cried out, leaping at the frail-looking old man like a lioness upon prey with a cry that would rouse the dead from their dusty tombs. 

A shot rang out, and a soft thud announced a body hitting the floor.

*~*

"Kiyoshi! Scarlet's down! Scarlet's down!"

"Bran's not responding…"

"Zechs! The Scorpion's dead! There's nothing coming from the colony!"

"Colony radiation levels reaching critical… it's going to blow up!"  
"We have to get Scarlet! It's sacrilege to leave her in there! She could still be alive!" 

"Something tells me we're the ones who aren't going to be alive, Basim." 

"Max…"

"Kiyoshi, what did Scarlet say to you when we left?"

"She just gave me a…"

*~*

Heero and Relena, Duo and Lyla, Trowa, Wufei, Milliardo and Lucretzia, Treize and Une… all watched as the colony exploded… but as the others turned away Lyla ran to the screen screaming.

"SCARLET! NO! SCARLET!" she cried out as if in mortal pain, her eyes wide and terrified. 

Duo grabbed Lyla, and held her to his chest. 

"Shh… shh it's OK Lyla… it's Ok… it's OK." He wrapped his arms around the old woman that he loved, and clung to her.

Everything was totally destroyed…

"I know Lyla, it's hard to loose your home." Wufei said, offering some comfort…

Lyla tore herself from Duo's arms, and looked out the window to space again.

"It's not the home, the graves, the lab… nothing mattered that I couldn't replace on there…"

She turned around, taking her glasses off, and Duo noticed something strange… Lyla and Scarlet had the same eyes… the same slender bridge of the nose… 

"We both lost her, Lyla. We both lost her." He whispered, and held her, looking out the window into the void of stars called space, and saw something glimmer brightly among the debris. 

"Well… we have to get home, and make… arrangements." Relena said softly. 

As they all turned, Lyla followed, leaving Duo alone to seek out that brightness in the stars he had glanced.

A single silver cross floated in space, the chain almost liquid-like as it danced in the emptiness… 

"Wait for me on the other side, Scarlet… there's so much we have to talk of yet." He whispered, putting his hand on the window, and feeling a warm, salty tear drift down his leathery cheek. 

*~*

It was a solemn affair, that raining April day in the Cinq State, where a funeral was to take place. Several families, as well as well wishers, reporters, and new fans that considered the dead their martyrs made the scene. 

There was a short sermon, but as a solemn Milliardo Peacecraft took the podium, thinking to give a much more meaningful 

"The Reign of the Scorpion was over in the wake of his death, but seven brave young people also lost their lives that day in the eternal fight of freedom versus tyranny. 

"Kiyoshi Magnum Yuy, aged seventeen. Pilot of New Generation Gundam Raidon, grandson of Heero and Relena Yuy.

"Scarlet Erin Maxwell-Moore, her real last name finally brought to the world, aged sixteen. Pilot of the New Generation Gundam Bran, daughter of Duo Maxwell and Lyla Moore.

"Max Leo Bloom, aged eighteen. Pilot of the New Generation Gundam Blaze, son of Christine, grandson of Catherine Bloom, adoptive nephew of Trowa Barton.

"Basim Atif Winner, aged seventeen, pilot of the New Generation Gundam Fairs, grandson of Quatre Rebarbra and Dorothy Winner.

"Lian Chen, aged eighteen, pilot of the New Generation Gundam Shen-Li, half-great-nephew of Wufei Chang.

"Nicholas Benjamin Catalonia, aged nineteen, pilot of the Scorpion Suit Zephyr, grandson of Quatre Rebarbra and Dorothy Winner.

"Milliardo 'Zechs' Peacecraft the Third, aged nineteen, pilot of the Scorpion Suit Destroyer, grandson of myself and Lucretzia Peacecraft."

He shifted the papers, his face solid as rock though others around him cried for the dead.

"These seven may have fought against each other, but it only comes out after the fact that 'Zechs' had helped Lyla Moore escape from prison, which had proved vital in repairing Gundams onboard the Podhopper II. The lessons those children by our standards have learned can not compare to…"

Duo yawned slightly; he hated having to wear black. He loved wearing it, but hated when he had to. 

"Bah… it's a bad idea, having a wedding after a funeral, eh Lyla?"

"I'm not sleeping with you again until we've had one." She whispered back, taking the old man's hand in hers. He could tell she was crying, even through the veil.

"I think it's silly to have coffins - there weren't any bodies to recover. It's a waste, I'm telling you."

"Duo, shush."

In front of the podium there were coffins, six black and one white, though in each there was buried instead something that reminded the people of them. 

Inside Kiyoshi's coffin, there was his old stuffed bear, the one he had when his parents were killed so long ago, a few letters and grade papers from school. 

Inside of Max's, someone had placed his clown mask, along with a recipe for "Grandmother Catherine's Soup", and his stuffed lion.

Basim's was full of clothes. Lots of clothes, as well as a few stuffed animals and a fencing foil. 

Chen Lian had a real sword inside his coffin, along with his cookbooks. He'd probably complain if he didn't have his cookbooks. 

Nicholas had a few toys slipped in, dusty and dirty as they were from long years of un-use. His favorite books were slipped in. 

To be buried with Milliardo the Third, models. He used to love building them; a lot were old, biplanes and ships in bottles. He even had one of the Tallgeese.

The last was Scarlet's casket, weighted with two heavy hearts. There were pictures, lots of pictures. On the very top, there was a picture of Duo and Lyla, standing together. Written underneath was "With all our love… Mom and Dad", this weighted down with a silver cross…

SCARLET ERIN MAXWELL - BORN NOVEMBER 22, AC 139

*~*

There was a group of people standing beyond the fence, five of them. 

The figure at the very end wore a dark business suit, the jacket over his shoulder, black hair shining. 

The second in was leading against the third, wearing a snappy white button-down with a good pair of black pants, platinum blonde hair waving in the wind. 

The third had an arm wrapped around the waist of the second, a single long peace of hair hanging in front of his eye, wearing a pair of nice jeans and a sports jacket. 

The fourth had semi-messy hair, his stance almost comforting as he wrapped an arm around the last. 

The very last was a young woman, wearing a short violet skirt and sky-blue blouse, a yellow hat with a violet ribbon hiding her face; a few stands of red hair hanging down.

"How long until they find out, do you think?"

"Soon. They'll figure it out. If they don't, you'll tell them."

"Oh. So… where's everyone gonna go?" 

"I'm probably going to go to China. There is a large business opening there, they need someone to be in charge."

"I dunno… wherever he goes, I suppose."

"I was going to follow you!"

"Oh." 

"Hn. Somewhere."

"Oh, that's cool. I think that maybe I'll go to the Amazon. I hear it's nice this time of year, I've always wanted to see one of those white dolphins."

"You're weird."

The five figures turned, and just as they began to walk off, Duo turned, unable to watch them lower the caskets. 

He opened his eyes, just in time to see a young woman take off a yellow hat and let a long, crimson braid fall to her shins.

__

And thus, the battle may have been lost, or won, but each of the pilots knows there is still a war to be fought. There is something bigger ahead - there always is.


	24. NEW GENERATION GUNDAM WING: VENGEANCE PR...

__

Forward and Prelude

The year is AC 256, after the Scorpio Colony had been destroyed by the force known as the New Generation Gundam Pilots: Kiyoshi Yuy, Scarlet Erin Maxwell, Max Barton, Basim Atif Winner, and Lian Chen. Believed to be dead, the pilots split into factions. 

Kiyoshi Yuy, aged eighteen and the grandson of Heero and Relena Yuy concentrated his efforts as both a guerilla soldier and Gundam pilot of Raidon in the cities of Kyoto and New Tokyo. Single-handedly, he destroyed several Scorpion-loyal "nests" in those two cities, freeing the islands of Japan from any Scorpion power. 

Scarlet Erin, the genetically altered daughter of Duo Maxwell and Lyla Moore-Maxwell retreated to the Amazon basin of South America, her efforts mainly to tear the mining and logging teams that "Lord Scorpion" had set up. Using OZ mobile suits from years ago, the teams had began to strip the entire area of any plant or animal life for precious metals that could be used in making the Scorpion Dolls. Once her mission had been completed, she went about and found out about local culture and educating herself on new battle tactics from the natives. She stays in the village where she almost crash-landed her Gundam, Bran.

Max Barton and Basim Winner went to eastern Europe and the Middle East, their battle prowess used in defeating unruly lords the Scorpion had backed and freeing the people who had been held in servitude since the Scorpion came to Earth. The two lived together for some time, and yet no one had seen them outside their Gundams, Blaze and Faris respectively. 

Lian Chen, the young charge of Wufei Chang returned to the home of his ancestors in China, finding naught but corruption and pain there. He spread the word of honor and valor among the people, earning the respect and honor he felt he deserved in his fighting, and the title of his Gundam, Shen-Li. 

As for the elder pilots, Heero, Duo and Lyla, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei, believing their young charges had, in fact, died (save Duo who had seen them walking away from their own funerals), returned to their home colonies all the more somber. Their pain would not last very long.

Deep in space, there was a force stronger than the Scorpion; someone who knew what the Scorpion truly had in store for the planet and the colonies. She had her own plan; and she knew just how to tear apart the New Generation Gundams… 

… after all, what are they without the spirited second pilot? 

*~*

Nightmares… again the nightmares.

_She's alone… she's scared…_

She walked down the hallway; her footsteps echoing in the now destroyed corridors of the Scorpio colony. She drew the blanket tighter around her shoulders, shivering with fear. There was a scream, and the girl turned suddenly, her green eyes shining behind the lenses of her glasses, freckles fading on her cheeks with age. From the darkness, an almost elderly woman… now she knew it was Lyla rushed past. 

_L… Lyla! Mom! Wait up!_

She called desperately, running after the woman; though Lyla had been running in slow motion, it deemed the girl just couldn't keep up. The pounding of her shoes on the metal floor echoed in her mind as she ran, just in time to catch up, to see the woman and a man facing each other. She knew the man; she knew him as the Scorpion…

"Give it back, Scorpion!" Lyla growled, the green eyes turned to the tall, frail-looking man…

He smirked evilly, holding up a tiny tube…

__

She's in there… that's her…

And he disappeared; the entire vision changed. It was dark, it was cold, and the green eyes closed for a second as a bright light came through… there was screaming. A girl was screaming.

She stood there, her head shaved, screaming at the top of her lungs…

__

Is that me? Is that me there? My hair… I was five… it looks wrong! She doesn't have green eyes… who are you? Why are you crying? Where are you?

The vision faded, it was older now. There were two shadows, both were women… they both looked the same. White stuff fell… feathers? Snow? The seer couldn't tell. The two shadows faced each other, a pair of green eyes glowed, a pair of icy white eyes glowed… both of the shadows fell… more white stuff… feathers? Snow? 

__

Stained red… 

And then a warm, orange light interrupted. 

__

Nightmare… is it a nightmare?

Iris… Iris… Iris…

To be continued… 

For the full prelude chapter, please visit http://www.angelfire.com/gundam/nggwing/home.html, where the rest of the chapter, and perhaps a few surprises await a reader!


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